Fairy Tail's Phoenix
by PointYourFeetAndCAPsLetters
Summary: Lucy Heartfilia is a Phoenix, complete with wings and strange powers. When she finally escapes from the prison-like Phoenix Court, she joins Fairy Tail and pretends to be a Celestial Mage. With no knowledge of Mage Magic and a group of Rogue Phoenix's after her, Lucy's new life is over before it started. AU
1. Chapter 1

**-We have to start teaching ourselves not to be afraid (William Faulkner)**

**-When I hear somebody sign, 'Life is hard,' I am always tempted to ask, 'Compared to what?." (Sydney J. Harris)**

**- When you have a dream about fish, someone you know is pregnant.**

**Disclaimer- I do not own Fairy Tail.**

Chapter 1

It was a replenishing time. My heart beat felt renewed. My head wasn't heavy. My body didn't drag any more. Best of all was that I didn't feel the pain any more. I could do anything I wanted for the first time in ages.

The first thing I did was get out of that damned bed and dance around the room. I had no rhythm, no talent, and I looked like an idiot. I didn't matter. I was a new person.

"It's like you died and were reborn as a totally different person." Marsha whispered underneath my random shouts of glee. Marsha probably believed that I hadn't heard her, but I did. It was a small reminder of the unnatural process I had just undergone.

Still, I couldn't keep a grin from my face. Laughter bubbled up inside of me. Cries of joy echoed inside my head, just waiting to burst out from my lips. It didn't matter what had just happened to me. I felt new!

"Lucy, you have to sit." Marsha cautioned. She was twisting a piece of thick auburn hair around her finger and biting her voluminous pink lips, "What if a doctor from the village walks by and sees you up and about like this? They will ask questions. They won't believe our answers."

Marsha always has been and always will be the voice of caution and reason. I didn't want it to ruin my fresh and joyful mood.

"Come on, Marsha, you gotta be at least a little happier. This is a good thing! Why are you treating it like it's going to be our end?" I danced around the room a little more. "I have always been careful. My whole life was about being careful. I'm sick of careful. We are in the middle of no where! No one will see or find or hear us. Why should I waste this miraculous gift by sitting around and being even more careful?"

"Because if we aren't careful, we will die!" Marsha slammed a delicate fist onto the wall. I jumped back a little bit. I wasn't used to Marsha slamming into anything, especially on purpose.

"Don't you get sick of it? Being so cautious." My mood had turned sober. "It's like living in a cage that you created yourself."

"I'd rather be cautious than dead." Annoyance was clear in her voice. It's such a pain. Didn't she realize how good this was for me? How much she is ruining this? I thought I would never recover from my disease. Marsha had starting thinking I would never recover. All the doctors we had seen had given up hope. The last thing we could think of was the Lost Art of Healing Magic. That ended up being a dead end too. I remember feeling so desperate that it seemed to consume my entire body. Every fiber inside of me had seemed to scream that I had no hope and everything I ate had seemed to have the sour tang of despair.

"You say you'd rather be cautious than dead? You would rather hide our true selves from the world? Living in constant fear. That is what it is! What you are calling caution is actually fear." My voice rose with every word until I was practically shouting.

Marsha sucked in a quick breath. I thought I had hit a nerve, but Marsha's response was solid and unbroken.

"We took risks every time we took you to a doctor. Every time we went to a clinic or even a guild. It's weird enough that two 13 year olds are going around alone. It's even weirder that one of them has a disease that has never been catalogued in a book before. Each time one of those doctors inspected you we ran the risk of them figuring out that the disease wasn't human or even mage related. We ran the risk of exposing our kind."

The unspoken words –just to save you- hung in the air. I felt guilty. I had never realized the extent of what we were doing to save me. I had never even thought about what it would do to the people around me. I didn't back down from the argument. Marsha had just imprinted into my mind, forever, that I had put my whole race at risk just so I could live. I wasn't going to forgive her for causing me to have that deep scar eternally etched into my mind.

"You could have just let me die."

"No, Lucy, I couldn't." Marsha's voice was hard. Like steel, "I told your mom that I would keep you safe and help you become more familiar with our kind. She regretted not teaching you about your real heritage and lying to you for a great period of your life. Her wish, her very last one, was for me to stay by you and teach you. Well, that, and to give you that fancy key ring." My eyes immediately went to the silver key ring on my waist. There were four keys attached to it; three of the keys were gold and one was silver. They didn't open anything. On countless occasions I had tried them on doors, boxes, and even cages. They did zilch. I kept them just because they were my mother's.

"Marsha-"

"No. Listen, Lucy. Your mom taught you all about mages because that is what she wanted to be. Your mother, Layla Heartfilia, wanted to run away from being a Phoenix. She wanted to run away from her heritage. She still-"

"Marsha!"

"Lucy! Your mom wanted you to follow your own path. You chose the path of the Phoenix. There is no turning back. You can't run away. Being cured of that sickness proves that your destiny is to walk the path of the Phoenix. You are part of the Phoenix guard! You can't fulfill your role if you go revealing our secrets to everyone." Marsha's eyes widened and she quickly brought a hand to her mouth. I didn't understand what Marsha had said. None of it made any sense to me but I could conclude that she had just revealed a secret to me. A secret I was never supposed to hear in my lifetime.

I was practically trembling. It was too much to take in. My legs were barely holding me up now, and all the previous energy I had had melted away.

I had just been cured but now my head was overwhelmed to the point of making me sick. What destiny was she talking about? What is a Phoenix guard? How did being cured of my sickness prove anything? When I sat and thought about it, even more questions came to mind. Why was I cured? I had been so caught up in being healthy that I hadn't thought about the why.

"Marsha, you have to explain this to me! Why-"

The ground had started to shake. The small hut that the two of us were in was vibrating. Smoke entered my nostrils. I coughed at the smell as it passed through my lungs and cut my sentence short. Instincts had started to kick in and I had begun to frantically look around the room for the fastest way out. The ground was still vibrating; after every passing second it seemed like the ground was shaking even more violently and the concrete hut was making creaking sounds that were not reassuring.

The closest way out was the window, but the smoke piling into the room was coming from outside of the window. That meant that the window wasn't an escape option. I had begun a scramble towards the door. Marsha was already ahead of me, opening the wooden doorway that lead to the hall. She sent me a confused glance. I didn't understand. Why was she confused?

It took a second, and I was already halfway into the crumbling hallway when I struck my epiphany. The two of us were Phoenix people. This smoke shouldn't bother us. We should be able to breathe it like normal air. We also should have been attracted to the fire in and around the hut, not feel the impulse to run away from it. That meant only one thing.

This fire was magic set by a dark mage.

I coughed into my hand and continued to make my way through the hallway. Rage built up inside of me with every step. Whoever did this would pay. This hut might not be much but it was my home. For the past five years I had lived here. I wasn't going to let anyone tear it down without facing the consequences.

Ahead of me, Marsha had reached the front door and was about to swing it open. The ground suddenly shook with a might that was nothing like what we had been experiencing the past few seconds. This tremor sent both me and Marsha to the ground and sliding across the floor.

A sharp pain shot through my leg and caused me to gasp. My arm automatically shot to my leg and was instantly covered with sticky warm blood. I didn't have time to inspect the wound because the disaster that was happening wasn't waiting for me to catch up with it. I tried to force myself up and make my way towards Marsha, but my leg hurt so badly. My cheeks began to feel warm and I felt like I was overheating. It was so unnatural. Phoenix's aren't even supposed to get hot, let alone overheat.

I had to stop getting distracted by physical issues. I had to get out of this house, but before that I had to get to Marsha who was still lying on the floor. I summoned all the willpower I could and tried to force myself up. It was hard- almost impossible with the smoke entering my lungs- but I was determined. I lifted one knee up so that I could try and get some of my balance together. It was slow progress but I thought that if I just kept at a steady pace, I would make it out alive and with Marsha by my side.

It seemed like the world was against me.

There was another extremely rough shake.

It felt like the world was ending.

The roof collapsed in.

On top of Marsha.

She didn't make a sound when the roof collapsed and I didn't hear any pleas for help as she lay squished underneath the concrete. I could just sit there staring. I was too frozen in shock to move. I couldn't believe it. This couldn't happen to Marsha.

My frozen state broke and all physical injuries were forgotten as I stood up and dashed to Marsha. I frantically began to try and dig through the rubble. The smoke was becoming almost too much to bare but I needed to get Marsha out. Alive.

I couldn't lift too much of the concrete. It was too heavy. I was too weak. And tired. There was no sign of Marsha under that rubble but I kept up that frantic digging.

"Marsha. Marsha, please. Please be alive." I sobbed out. Desperation had snuck back into my emotions –again- but it didn't matter anymore. All I needed was Marsha back. "Marsha, you need to get up. Help me get you out. Come on Marsha." My words slowly started to become unrecognizable as I inhaled even more smoke. My eyes were blurry from tears. I could barely make out the rubble from the floor.

But I couldn't leave Marsha.

It became a bit of a mantra.

Don't leave Marsha. Save Marsha. Get out alive. Get Marsha out alive. Don't leave Marsha. Save Marsha. Get out Alive. Get Marsha out alive. Don't leave Marsha! Over and over again those words were repeated as I dug blindly through the rubble. My arms and hands were scratched and bruised from jamming into sharp pieces of concrete and the sheer clumsiness that came from my desperation and blurry vision.

It was becoming hopeless. The smoke was becoming too much. My tears were over whelming. The pain of my leg and arms was catching up with me. There was no sign of Marsha. I let out a sob. It was almost impossible with my minuscule amount of air but I needed to let out some of that sadness.

My vision started to be clouded with black spots. They danced in the edges of my blurry vision and through my hazy thoughts I could tell that I had to get out of this hut somehow. I couldn't do it though. My body was too tired and weak and in pain. It was like I was never healed from my disease.

My eyes began to flutter. My eyelids were dropping closed. I could feel my body shutting down. The last thing I felt was a pair of strong arms wrap around me and begin to pull me to who knows where. Maybe a place without pain, if I was lucky.

"Ah! Who the hell are you? Are you some crazy rapist? Drug lord? Escaped convict? Gang banger? Illegal alien? Answer my questions!" My voice was loud and hysterical as I waved my arms around wildly. A boy stood at the foot of the bed with a chunk of ice in his hand and a smirk on his face. That smirk riled me up even more. "What? Do you think this is funny? 'cause it's not. Kidnapping is illegal! And don't you even think about using that chunk of ice against me! I am well trained in the art of karate. Kinda. I know how to knee you in the balls, that's pretty much it, but that is all I will need."

The boy began cracking up. His laugh was loud and sweet and it made my temper soar to levels that it has never reached before.

"Don't you know how to treat a lady? You treat her with respect! You don't laugh at her when she is in distress and you introduce yourself properly." I snorted. "When I woke up, you were standing over my head with that chunk of ice and no shirt on! You still don't have a shirt on, by the way." The boy looked down in surprise but made no move to go get his shirt. "Then, you sit here and laugh at me – a complete stranger who is clearly injured- as if I knew you. I know for a fact that I don't know you. So, now, I have to know you so I know who I am yelling at."

"That's a lot of thing's you need to know." The boy remarked with a smile dancing at the edges of his lips.

"Please put on a shirt."

The boy once again looked surprised that he didn't have that article of clothing on, but this time he began to search for it. There were no witty remarks from the boy as he searched the room for his shirt so I took this time to evaluate his looks. He had a particularly well muscled mid-section with a mysterious blue tattoo. That is two points in his favor: one for the abs and one for the mysterious aura. He also had black hair that was ruffled in every direction but it worked in his favor and balanced out the mysterious aura with a fun and playful feeling. Another point in his favor. Eyes? Dark blue. Not a point in his favor because the boy's eyes seemed to be laughing at my anger. No facial disfigurements. No extra body parts. Not trying to kill me at the moment. Plus. Plus. And plus. No shirt? Minus a point.

All in all, the boy had more positive features than negative.

Finally, the boy had put on a shirt.

"Now that I have all my clothes, will you stop yelling?" The boy asked with a hint of playfulness.

I nodded.

"Okay. Well, than, before you get your panties in a bunch again, I'll tell you my name. Gray Fullbuster. Nice to meetcha." The boy held out his hand for me to shake.

"Lucy Heartfilia." I grabbed his hand, albeit a little reluctantly. "You swear you aren't a rapist or anything? I mean, I'm grateful that you are helping me and all but if you are just going to rape me than I take my gratefulness back."

"No promises." I gave him a disbelieving look but Gray just smiled and shook my hand. This guy is so weird. How did I end up in here with him?

Than, everything came rushing back to me with such force that my head had started to hurt. The secret I wasn't supposed to hear and didn't understand. The burning hut and the collapsing roof. Marsha. Marsha! Did Gray find Marsha?

"Hey, are you okay? You look a little sick, Lucy." Gray moved to the side of the bed and stuck the ice block to my head. I quickly shoved away the ice block and it shattered into pieces on the floor as I tried standing up. That was a bad idea because I had immediately begun to feel dizzy, my leg began to burn like hell, and my stomach felt weak. I quickly collapsed back into the bed and, with the help of Gray, got back underneath the cotton covers.

"What are you doing?" Gray looked at me like I was crazy for trying to stand up. I probably was.

"Marsha! Did you find Marsha?" I felt a little hysterical again.

"Who? You were the only one I saw inside the building."

My heart shattered. Marsha was gone. Dead. Buried along with our house and all of my sentimental crap that I hadn't realized I would miss until it was already gone. My eyes welled up with tears and I pulled the cotton bed sheets closer to my face to try and hide my tears. My shoulders shook and my breaths were hard and ragged.

Marsha would never come back. I would have to go back to the Phoenix Plane if I wanted to know anything else about being a Phoenix. I thought I would never have to set foot in that place. I had no one to explain to me how I was a Phoenix guard. I had no more home. No one to return to.

"Why are you crying? Did I do something? Damn it, you aren't supposed to start crying out of nowhere." Poor Gray, he sounded so confused. I could try and tell him that he hadn't done anything but it was hard enough to keep my body working at the moment.

"I'm all alone now." I choked out. It was true. There would be no one to ever take care of me again. No one to teach me how to act or walk or talk or fight or live. Marsha may have been my age but she was the motherly one that always knew what to do and where to go. Now, I had no clue about what to do or where to go and I had no one to tell me any of those things.

I had no one to teach me how to be a Phoenix anymore. No one to tell me when my alae* would come in or when I would start to develop other Phoenix traits. No one to teach me how to control my ignis*. The only option left was to return to the Phoenix court, but Marsha had always said to avoid it.

I guess it didn't matter what Marsha said. Marsha is dead.

"What do you mean you are all alone?" Gray looked thoughtful.

Maybe Gray has somewhere I could go? "It's what I said." A small hiccup escaped my mouth. "There is no where for me to go."

"No one left for you?"

I barely managed a helpless nod. Gray's face wore an expression that looked like he had found the answer to all of my problems. I highly doubted that that was true but I guess anything is possible with this guy.

"Fairy Tail." Those two words came out of Gray's mouth and, to him, it seemed like they were his brilliant answer to everything. It all made no sense to me.

"What?" I managed through my tears. My eyes were slowly starting to run out of water and I was being reduced down to pathetic little hiccups and panting breaths.

"Fairy Tail!"

I was still confused and started to get a little pissed. Gray's vague answering of my questions was making me go from sad to angry. "What is the Fairy Tail?"

Gray let out a small laugh. "Fairy Tail is a place! A guild for mages! It is my home and we accept anybody." Gray's voice dropped to a whisper. "I really mean anybody. We have some real weirdo's at Fairy Tail."

I cracked a small grin. A mage guild! My mother had wanted to be a mage so badly and ended up getting her wish. Maybe I could figure out why she found it so appealing? I thought about how nice it would be to join a place like this 'Fairy Tail'. How I could belong somewhere and not have to worry about being the weird one in a place full of mages that could do anything. It would be nice, but there are so many flaws to the plan. One of them being that Gray could be a rapist. I still haven't ruled out that possibility. If Gray is part of a mage guild than he is actually a mage himself, and who knows what type of rapist mage's he knows.

"I can't."

It was Gray's turn to be confused. "Why not? It's a place for you to go. A place where you will always have people waiting for you to come back."

"First of all, I never told you if I was a mage or not." I can't help but wonder where Gray had come to the conclusion that I was a mage. I hadn't preformed any magic. Phoenix's couldn't perform mage magic, according to Marsha. That was what made my mama so special, apparently.

At least, I think that was what Marsha had said. I was a little busy eating lunch when she explained these things.

"Well, you have those celestial mage key things." Gray motioned to the silver key ring my mother had given me. It hung around my waist and barely peeked out from underneath the bed sheets. This Gray was quite the perceptive kid to have noticed them, but I didn't know what 'celestial mage key things' were. It sounded familiar though.

I unhooked the key ring from my belt and held it in front of my face. On the hilt of each key there was a different symbol, but I didn't know what any of them had stood for. Tentatively, I reached out and touched one of the gold keys. I moved it around in the palm of my hand and felt the cool metal against my skin.

I did not know what a Celestial mage did or was supposed to do, but I went with it anyways. Pretending and lying was what Marsha and I had been doing for the last five years of our lives.

"What type of mage are you?" I asked Gray. The question came out of no where and had nothing to do with the many thoughts and questions about celestial mages running through my head.

There was no hesitation in Gray's voice when he answered my out of the blue question. "An Ice-make mage and a god damned good one too. Ask anyone at the guild!"

"Prove it." He didn't really need to. I had seen the block of ice he had before. I guess he had created it himself.

"Fine! Although there is nothing to prove, everyone within a fifty mile radius knows how frickin' awesome I am."

I snorted. I doubted that he was that good.

Gray rolled back his shoulders in preparation before placing his right hand out. His right hand was open and his palm was facing the ceiling while his left hand formed a fist and was set on top of his right hand.

"Ice-make lance." Gray called out. His voice was stronger than before and had a certain edge to it.

In no time at all, Gray was holding a large ice lance. I could only stare on in awe. I had never seen anything like it before. The ice lance had come from no where and Gray was holding it like it was nothing special. I thought Gray would have just made something simple like a block of ice again. Are there really people that do things like this all the time? Create things like this and maybe even more extravagant?

I wouldn't know. Lots of my life had been spent in forests and outskirts of villages with only minimal amounts of contact with large cities. This included visiting doctors and getting supplies when it was desperately needed. Marsha had always feared being to close to big crowds of people for too long. It seemed like she thought that if we hung around anyone too long, they would read our thoughts and learn our secret.

My heart ached at the thought of Marsha again. I missed her so much. I also still felt kind of guilty about the fight we had right before the house burned down.

I didn't get to apologize to her.

"So, Lucy, have you changed your mind about coming to Fairy Tail? It's not that far away in the village of Magnolia." Gray was trying to persuade me to come with him to his guild still.

Even though I had just met Gray and didn't fully trust him, I had to at least think about the offer. It was the least I could do for the guy that saved me.

I wanted to. I really did want a place to live at and belong to but I saw so many things wrong with it. I didn't know mage magic, contrary to what Gray thinks. I had also just met Gray, so how could I really trust him? What about all my Phoenix questions? No one in a mage guild will be able to answer them.

But I really wanted to join.

"No." I had to force the word out of my mouth. My heart wanted me to go to Fairy Tail but my head advised against it. I listened to my head. That's something that Marsha had always told me to do. Before Gray could have another chance to try and convince me to join Fairy Tail, I decided to strike up a deal. "But, do you know today's date, Gray?"

"Uhm," The black haired boy glanced around the room for a second, thinking about it. "Yea. It's May 17. Why are you asking?"

The deal I wanted to propose was for the sake of Gray. At least, that was what I was telling myself. I was going to propose this deal because Gray had saved me from the burning house and because he really wanted me to join his guild (but I can't) so the least I can do is make a small fallback for him.

"I can't join Fairy Tail but I can still visit. How about, every year from now, I visit Fairy Tail on this day, exactly?" I thought it was a pretty good deal. I could see the person that saved my life once a year and never forget what happened this day which means that I will never forget Marsha's memory. This lightened my spirit a little bit. I also didn't have to know mage magic; I just had to fake being a celestial mage once a year.

"Looking forward to it. I'm sure everyone else in the guild will be too, once I tell them." Gray decided with a grin and thumbs up. His cheerful mood quickly turned serious, "Now, you have to go back to sleep."

I rolled my eyes. "What are you, a mother hen?"

I listened to Gray's orders anyway and tried to get to sleep.

I was about to surrender to the darkness of sleep when a question popped into my mind. It spiked my curiosity and I wouldn't be able to sleep until I asked it. Gray, who had just begun to leave the room, turned around and gave me a questioning look as I sat up in the bed.

I decided to ask my question before I collapsed from the exhaustion that was haunting my limbs. "Why were you in the forest when my hut set on fire?"

Gray gave me a sheepish smile and it caused those stupid dark blue eyes of his to light up. "I was practicing my Ice-make. I still have a long way to go. But-"

"Well, I am sorry I disrupted your training, Mr. Gosh Damned Good Mage." I was making fun of what he said in our previous conversation about being one of the best mages around. "G'night." I murmured before falling into dreamless sleep.

My leg ended up healing quickly and before I knew it, it was time for me to part ways with Gray. Our goodbyes were short and sweet, mostly because we knew that we would see each other again. Before Gray let me walk away, he hammered the name Fairy Tail and the city it was located in, Magnolia, into my head so that I wouldn't forget it when the time came.

I swore to my new friend that I would never forget to visit him.

I like those words.

New friend.

Growing up, I only really had Marsha or my mom in my life.

Now I had my new friend, even though he was a weirdo with a weird stripping fetish.

At least he wasn't really a rapist.

**End of Chapter 1**

**-PointYourFeetAndCAPSLetters**


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes- Alae are wings and Regina means queen in Latin. **

Leaving home in a sense involves a kind of second birth in which we give birth to ourselves.  
- Robert Neely Bellah

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."  
-Barack Obama

Tourists visiting Iceland should know that tipping at a restaurant is considered an insult.

Forest fires move faster uphill than downhill.

**Chapter 2**

"No."

"W-What do you mean?" I swiftly covered my mouth. I had spoken out of turn in front of The _Regina_*. That large show of disrespect could have earned me several weeks of 'Disposing of Waste' duty. My eyes were quickly averted downwards and connected with the regal red and orange patterned carpet.

"Lucy Heartfilia, you ask for your leave every year at this time. Do you think I am some dim-witted fool who would not pick up on this?" My eyes were still cast towards the carpet but I could picture The _Regina _as she talked. Easily, I visualized The _Regina's_ impeccably blue eyes that watched my every movement and her soft pink lips that were saying words that I did not like to hear.

"No, milady. I do not think of you as a dim-wit or a fool." I dared to look up at The _Regina _but still maintained my kneeling position on the floor. I could not afford to lose The _Regina's_ favor, so the best way to stay on her pleasant side was to keep myself in a bow for as long as possible.

"Then would you please enlighten me, Lucy of the Guard by Blood. I would like to know what you do on your leave every year at this time." The _Regina's_ auburn curls bounced slightly as she leaned forward theatrically in her bejeweled thrown and waited for my reply.

Was I supposed to lie to her? Or should I tell The _Regina_ the truth: that I went to visit human mages every year? I could be convicted for treason if The _Regina_ found out that I lied to her. I could also be exiled for telling the truth and mingling with mages every year.

"I-I…" The conflicted thoughts wore on as The _Regina's_ harsh stare bore down on me. My thoughts were in a jumble and the staring had made it twice as bad. I didn't do well under pressure. I never had.

"I'm waiting." The _Regina_ sounded angry and impatient. I had to decide on an answer immediately.

"E-Every year, during my leave, I visit Fairy Tail." My voice was quiet, shaky, and cracked when I finished speaking. My whole body trembled as I waited for The _Regina's_ response. My emotions were running haywire and I yearned to rip off my blue cloak, spread my _alae_, and fly away.

Even through all this, I didn't regret visiting Fairy Tail every year. I had met so many new friends that it made my heart swell just to think of them. They were all so special to me, even if I did only see them once a year.

The only question left was: would I ever be able to see Fairy Tail again after today?

I took a second to look at The _Regina's_ reaction. She did not look angry, but she did not look happy either. She looked emotionless, like a rock or a wall. I had no idea if this was a bad sign or a good one.

"Fairy Tail." The _Regina_ said it like it was a swear word. "That is a mage guild. They are notorious for being drunkards."

This was true. Fairy Tail was a bit of an alcohol encouraged zone. Just the thought of Fairy Tail's antics made me giddy to see that mage guild again.

"They are also known as the strongest guild in Fiore," The_ Regina_ continued. I had to clench my fists to keep myself from biting my nails in anticipation. I tried to find some distraction in the red, orange, and yellow colored banners, plants, and decorations that were spread through the Great Hall but they were all too familiar and there was nothing interesting about any of them anymore.

Maybe my punishment will be redecorating the Great Hall?

Doubtful.

"How did you, Lucy of the Guard by Blood, end up being associated with humans, let alone mages, in the first place? Would not your dear mother and your dear friend—Macy was it?—have kept you on a tight leash like the lost puppy you are and restrict your contact with humans? I know I have not let any of my court members meet any." The _Regina_ was pushing my buttons. On purpose. She knew it. The guards at the Great Hall entrance knew it. The gardener that was watering a plant in the corner of the room, while trying to be inconspicuous, knew it. Most of all, I knew it. Of course I knew it.

I just didn't know why she harbored this hatred towards me. It had never gotten in the way of political matters between the two of us but I could always see that glimmer of hatred in The _Regina's_ eyes. Was it something I had done? Or maybe The_ Regina _hated my mother and was taking out that previously held in hatred on me?

The _Regina_ cleared her throat.

My eyes immediately met hers and I realized that I had to say something. Should I have kept telling the truth? Or it might not have been too late to turn around and start lying. I didn't know which one had more risks.

My heart told me to tell the truth, and so did my head, but the rest of my body screamed at me to lie. If I lied, I might have been able to escape this predicament with a minuscule amount of punishment and then my life would return to normal.

But that was when I realized that I was sick of normal. I wanted to go back to Fairy Tail where each day was different and full of excitement. Not all of it legal. Here at the Phoenix court, everything was monotonous and defiantly legal.

For the five years that I had been there, The Phoenix court had been attacked only once. That battle had lasted three hours and within three more it was like nothing had ever happened. From the stories I had heard at Fairy Tail, they had been attacked several times and each time was more heart-stopping and stimulating than the last.

Everyone at the Phoenix court knew their role and was content with it. What if I wasn't? What if—

"Lucy of the Guard by Blood, you are not responding. Does this mean that you have something to hide?" The _Regina_ was now even more impatient. If I kept her waiting much longer I may as well wish all my chances of yearly leave goodbye.

"I have nothing to hide." I felt a little more confident. My voice didn't crack. Even though I was still kneeling I felt like I had grown a few inches taller. "When my hut burned down and Marsha died, I almost perished as well." The remembrance of that day was still fresh in my mind. It would have brought tears to my eyes as well, but my confidence was soaring too high right now. "A young mage, Gray Fullbuster, pulled me out of the burning hut and saved my life. Gray happened to be part of Fairy Tail and…"

"From there, you got invited to visit Fairy Tail," The _Regina_ said, finishing my statement. Technically, I wasn't invited to _visit_ Fairy Tail, I was invited to join, but I was not going to correct The _Regina_.

A silence enveloped the Great Hall. Even the gardener—who should have been finished by now but still seemed to find work to do—seemed to make no noise as he over-watered the plants.

I didn't dare move.

Finally, the _Regina_ spoke up. "I am done here." She sounded malicious. "You are dismissed, Lucy Heartfilia of the Guard by Blood. Your request for leave has been denied."

I slowly stood up. My knees cracked and I realized just how lengthy my court with The _Regina _had been. I needed to hurry up and get out of here so that I could get off my blue cloak and stretch my _alae_. Just the thought of my red feathers ruffling in the wind got me shivering with glee.

As I slowly walked out of the Great Hall, it occurred to me that The _Regina _had not issued a punishment to me for mingling with humans. Nor had she mentioned that I was never able to take leave again.

This meant that she would consult the _Viribus* _and call me back at a later date to issue me a punishment.

0000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000

"She did not!" Levy exclaimed as the two of us raced back and forth across the air field. I shrugged my shoulders. The lukewarm sun that was beating down on my face was washing away all my worries, so I did not feel like I should spend too much time dwelling on my court with The _Regina_.

"Do you think she will ever let you take leave again?" Levy asked.

"I hope so. I would not be able to survive here if I never got to leave." My eyes scanned the open field below Levy and I, hoping to find some distraction in the grassy plain below us. There was none, but my words still rang true. If I never got to leave this place I would probably go insane. This whole Phoenix court was like a private little club that never let anyone out of its walls. Nothing here was free. Even the air field had large, barbed wire walls going up the sides which restricted how far you could fly back and forth. With _alae, _only three miles of air space was like exercising in a closet. Also, if you tried to go over the top of the air field you would be hit by a strong blast of _Ignis_ that would send you spiraling downwards.

Two large gongs went off. They signaled the end of my time on the air field.

Slowly, Levy and I touched down onto the ground. The cool grass felt refreshing on my bare feet, but I couldn't dwell on that little detail. It was time to return to the life in Phoenix court.

As we walked across the field and towards the main Phoenix court building, Levy spoke up. "Lu-chan, what do you think your friends at Fairy Tail will say when you do not show up?" Levy was the only one who knew about my trips to Fairy Tail and she made a good point. Would they miss me? Would they look for me? They would definitely wonder what happened.

"Oh, Levy, I really want to go to Fairy Tail." I let out a wistful sigh as we reached the main building's door. The main building was the size of a city, and it connected into many other, tinier buildings that had various other uses such as lodging and cooking. It was like a village inside of a building.

The two of us walked through solid red hallways towards our late noon jobs. Every late noon we had the same job. For the past five years I have had the same job. When I had first arrived here, many people said that my job would change once I grew my _alae, _but only a year later I had grown my _alae_ and I still had the same job. The job had only one good point and that was the fact that Levy worked alongside me.

Finally, the two of us reached our destination. It was a large orange and yellow door that had three words inscribed on it.

The Charm Inscribers.

I took the piece of clay and molded it into a small ball. My nose itched but I couldn't scratch it because I had clay all the way up to my elbows like a barbarian. I tried to find a more comfortable position on my wooden stool before beginning to murmur the protection chant.

"_Praesent praesidio titulari huius_ Clay ball _quod fit per manus _and _Mauris magna adducite_.*"

I felt the familiar surge of warmth envelop my whole body as I murmured the protection incantation on the small clay ball. My _Ignis_ flowed smoothly and rapidly into the clay ball. It was like watching a red river of fire flow into the ball.

The clay ball would be used to protect soldiers that guarded Phoenix court. I had no idea when or where the soldiers would ever use them. It was just my job to make them.

"Lu-chan," Levy said from the seat next to me, "Do you think the _Regina_ will punish you?"

This was a surprise. Levy and I had been working for about an hour and a half now and our previous conversation was long over. The question had essentially come out of nowhere.

"Most likely. Perhaps she might feel forgiving and let me off with a stern scolding." I shrugged my shoulders as well. I really had no clue what would happen to me. As I was leaving, The _Regina _was calm and collected but I could tell that she was definitely not feeling too forgiving. Maybe the calm and collected part of her would outweigh the rest of her and she wouldn't punish me too severely. I tugged absentmindedly at the orange smock I wore.

There was a pregnant silence between Levy and I. Levy's eyes had a glazed off look to them as she absentmindedly created a clay heart for a good marriage charm. I could not help but be consumed about thoughts of my actions and future.

Would someone from the _Viribus_ ask if the mages at Fairy Tail knew my secret? The mages did not, but someone would point out that it was a possibility that they might someday. Maybe someone would see the silver key ring at my waist and think I had learned mage magic? This was a large betrayal to our kind. If I told the _Viribus_ that I was faking mage powers, they would still call it unfaithfulness to our people. What if someone asked for more information on Gray? Or some of my other friends like Natsu, Erza and Cana?

I realized that I was still holding my clay ball in my hands. The familiar coolness of it after I had put some _Ignis _into clay was refreshing. The Charm Inscriber room was becoming too claustrophobic for me.

I set down my clay ball—too worn down from the day's events to get up and sign the protection charm in as 'finished'—and grabbed another hunk of clay, preparing to make a small star for a 'wish upon' Charm. These Charms were more like toys for the younger children than actual Charms that were supposed to be made but no one objected to letting the kids wish upon stars.

It was when you turned into a teenager that you had to stop wishing and had to start getting down and dirty. Every teenager started working on the day after their thirteenth birthday, except for me. The newly thirteen teenagers get assigned into a late noon job and have various other jobs to complete. Then they stay with those jobs forever.

I hate 'forever'. It is the perfect word to describe the Phoenix court and that is why I despise it so much. The Phoenix court will never change. People will grow old and die but they will be replaced by another person that is more or less exactly like them. The Phoenix court children are raised the same ways and if the children are too different or 'think outside of the box' too much, they are taken to special classes where they are molded and shaped into perfect Phoenix court members.

Someone who is polite.

Patient.

Loyal.

Hard-working.

Content.

Easily tamed.

And worst of all—they would do whatever The _Regina_ says no matter how much it is against their morals. Thankfully, the last one had only happened once in the five years since I had come to Phoenix court and learned how to 'be a Phoenix.'

These days, I really do not want to be a part of the Phoenix court. I want to be a part of Fairy Tail and live a life of adventure and happiness. The thing is, I would never trade _Ignis _for mage magic. _Ignis_ is so much purer, closer to the heart, and more powerful than any mage magic. Even if _Ignis _is a reminder of the Phoenix court, I do not think I would ever be able to part with it.

"Levy, do you think I would ever be able to leave the Phoenix court?" I asked. Levy gave me a shocked look. Her blue hair enhanced the shocked features on her face and I felt kind of bad to bring my burden of thoughts onto her.

"I do not know, Lu-chan. Why would you though? When you came here, all those years ago, you had _wanted_ to come here and learn about being a Phoenix. You wanted the life of a Phoenix. You knew that meant joining the court. Forever." Levy had taken my words of escape extremely seriously and I could tell that she did not understand the thought of it.

"I did not know that this was what the life of a Phoenix was like five years ago. Now, though, I know why my mother had to escape it." I half heartedly tried to fix my star that was wilting at the tips.

"Are you going to try to leave the court?" Levy's voice sounded so distraught. I swiftly noticed what was going on here. Levy thought she might lose me. She thought that I was going to leave the court and therefore leave her.

"I want to leave, Levy." I had to tell her the truth. Levy deserved it. "I really do, but I cannot. I would never be able to make it past the guards at the first gate. You know how bad I am at executing swift movements of battle."

Levy averted her gaze to anywhere but me.

"If I ever left court, would you want to come with me?" I asked. Levy's facial features quickly went through many stages of emotion in a very short amount of time. First she was surprised, than thoughtful, torn, until finally she became a blank rock. Like The _Regina's _face from earlier.

Exactly like The _Regina's_ face from earlier.

"I would not be able to do that, Lu-chan. Even if it meant losing you. Phoenix court is the only place I have ever known. My yearly leave is not as important to me as it is to you. You yearn to roam free, but that is because you have tasted it before. I have never tasted the sweetness of true freedom." I took a moment to think about how sad this was. Levy had never really experienced the outside world before. I couldn't even fathom what that would be like. "I am content here, where I have everything already set up for me and the realities of the outside can be kept from me."

Levy was scared of the outside world. I had never noticed it before, but the way she talked about it now made me realize just how frightened Levy was about the world outside of the Phoenix court.

"Oh, Levy." I sighed. She is so important to me that I could not imagine leaving her behind. If the time comes, though, I may just have too. The only question is whether my leave will be by my choice or The _Regina's._

I turned back to my work but could not concentrate.

Thoughts of the outside world drummed through my head. My brief visits in large towns with Marsha, my visits to Magnolia, Fairy Tail, and even various doctors' offices from my long gone sickness.

Oh, my long gone sickness. Just the thought of it brings backing phantoms of migraines and pains, as if I still had the sickness. While my sickness had never been properly identified, Marsha and I had known that it came from the Phoenix court. Although the Phoenix court might have had the cure to my sickness, Marsha had refused to go there.

Now it did not matter what Marsha had said.

She was completely dead.

I could say it now and it did not affect me very much. Tears did not well up in my eyes anymore and I did not have to try and calm a trembling body. I think it is because the Phoenix court had hardened me a little bit. Everyone that I had met in the Phoenix court, besides Levy, was definitely classified as cold and bitter.

"Lu-chan, look at your poor star!" Levy exclaimed. I looked down to see what she was talking about.

It was indeed a poor star.

My star had lost one of its point's altogether, while three others wilted down at awkward angles. The center of the star had a large hole in it, presumably from my finger. The awkward star looked like a hurricane had come along and smashed it around. I searched my table for more clay to patch up the hole and add another star point, but I quickly drew the conclusion that I was out of clay.

My eyes surveyed the room for another Phoenix that could lend me clay, but I noticed that no one else was here.

"Where is everyone?" I sounded truly surprised.

"It is a Friday, remember?"

Oh. Friday. The day of the week when all of the older members of Phoenix did not attend late noon jobs; Levy and I were the only workers in the Charm inscriber that are under the age of forty, therefore we did not get Fridays off.

The large Charm Inscriber room was plain and felt enormous when it was empty. Over fifty clay stations were unoccupied, with wooden bar stools that have been not sat upon since yesterday, and stainless orange work benches were pristine. Like they were every single Friday of every single month of every single year.

For the second (or maybe even the third) time that day, my thoughts had gone back to how life in the Phoenix court was always the same.

Every Friday, I would notice how empty The Charm Inscriber was.

Every Friday, I would feel how enormous this room felt when it was empty.

Every Friday, I stared with boredom at the room's light red walls that I had decided were more of a pink color than a red.

Every Friday, I stared at the room's white tiled floor and wondered why it was not red, orange or yellow like the rest of the Phoenix court.

Every Friday, I reflected on how sick I was of Phoenix court colors.

Every Friday, I put on my orange smock and tried to ignore that it was Phoenix court colors.

Every Friday, I read every single encouraging quote that hung in an orange frame on the walls.

Every Friday, I counted down the days till I saw Fairy Tail again.

And then, I noticed how my thoughts were also drawn back to Fairy Tail. Again. Unlike when I think about the Phoenix court, my thoughts about Fairy Tail are always about how different it is every time I visit.

Once, when I visited, the whole guild was drunk except for Erza. I learned that she held her liquor very well.

Once, when I visited, Gray's underpants had somehow gotten thrown onto my head. He swore he had no idea how it happened.

Once, when I visited, I learned that Happy will attempt to eat my hand if it gets in the way of him eating his fish. During that visit, I had also learned that Cana does not like it when her beer jug has a hole in it.

Once, when I visited, Natsu thought I was a princess because he thought I talked 'too proper like'. For the rest of that visit, he did everything I asked. Until he realized that I was not actually a princess.

"Are you okay, Lu-chan? You seem kind of out of it," Levy asked.

"W-What? Oh. Yes. Well…" I looked down at my hand. It still held my poor, mutated star. "What will I do about this star?"

"Why don't you keep it?" Levy suggested. I took another look at the sad excuse for a star and contemplated it. It was not against the rules and I could not turn it in like this. The only thing the star was missing was some _Ignis _inside of it.

I thought about putting the normal 'Wish upon a Star' charm on it, but it did not appeal to me. My brain screamed that I had to be more creative and think of something else.

So I did.

I decided to make my own charm to put upon my one of a kind star. Maybe Levy would wish to be a part of the process in making the first 'Lucy's Original' star?

"Will you help me?" I asked Levy.

"With what? All you have to do is put a 'Wish upon a Star' charm on it. You could do that with your eyes closed by now."

"I want to put my own Charm on it, and I will need you to help me think of the words." Levy's jaw was practically touching the floor and her eyes were wider than saucers. It looked almost painful.

"You are kidding, right Lu-chan? I do not know how to make up a Charm. There has to be some complicated form to it. We would have to study up on how to make one. Who knows how long it would take? Days? Weeks? Months? Years? Decades? Cent—"

"Levy, how about _I_ make up the words and you just let some or your _Ignis _flow into it?" I could not let Levy start looking up things in the Phoenix private library. Someone would see her and ask questions and, while what we were doing was not illegal, I did not want people sticking their noses into places where their noses did not belong.

Levy nodded her head. She could definitely do that much.

"Okay, just put your hand onto the star and just go with it." I was winging it. It felt kind of good, like something I would do if I was at Fairy Tail.

Levy complied. I set my hand on top of hers and prepared myself for the flow of _Ignis _through my body. I could begin whenever I was ready; I just needed to think of some words.

"Uhm…" I started off shakily. "Please k-keep me, or both of us—or how about the holder of this Charm?—safe and—"

Levy cut me off. "Lu-chan! Are you really going to perform a Charm in English and not in Phoenix language? That had never been done before." She leaned in closer and whispered, "Is it against any rules?"

"We are creating our own Charm. Therefore, we have our own rules." My voice was confident and I sounded so sure of myself even though I was anything but. There were lots of unknown factors about this Charm. I was not even sure if the Charm would work. I was just sort of giddy from the moment.

I took a calming breath before starting the Charm incantation. This time I would not allow myself to waiver as I talked.

"Keep the holder of this Charm in good fortune. May they be prosperous, loved, and have many adventures." The warm flow of _Ignis _was all over my body and it slowly flowed into the star, mixing with Levy's. I felt powerful. Unbeatable. It was something that the flow of _Ignis _always did to me. "May the holder's wishes come true and may they have wisdom from those around them."

My hand and Levy's simultaneously came off the star. Levy let out a small whistle.

"That was very deep, Lu-chan. I did not know you had it in you." I could not help but smile. I did not know I had it in me either. "This is quite the feat for us. My _Ignis _felt so pure during that Charm. That might have been because of my excitement though. This is pretty marvelous."

Levy poked the star experimentally. She pulled her finger away almost as soon as she touched it and automatically tilted her head in confusion. "The star is warm."

"What? After you put _Ignis _into something, it is always cold. Always." That was when I realized that I had just broken one of the everyday trends of the Phoenix court. Everything had stopped always being the same and something had become different. All because of me and I did not even realize it!

Adrenaline pumped through my veins. I was invincible. I had broken a small part of the everyday life at Phoenix court. It might have been something small, but it was a start. Who knows what I could do next?

I had finally broken the vicious cycle of sameness at the Phoenix court.

I let out a joyful laugh. Levy probably thought I was insane, but I could not contain myself. I stopped being part of what I despised. It had happened so easily too. Maybe everything from here on out would be.

Probably not, but I could hope.

I reached out my hand and scooped up the star. The warmth had made it hard and I pressed it to my cheek. I could feel the warmth but it did not bother me. It would not bother any Phoenix. I savored the warm star before pulling it away and tucking it into the back pocket of my brown Capri's. I would not be able to walk back to my lodging with the star out in the open. People would ask questions and want answers that I would not give them.

Levy was rolling her eyes and looked like she was about to say something before three gongs went off. Late afternoon jobs were finished. It was time to go to lodgings before going to dinner.

I broke out into another grin. The lodgings were a perfect place to go right now. They were private, quiet, and the perfect place for me to think about what to do next. From here on out, my goal was to find a way to get to Fairy Tail. The warm star had instilled confidence, a sense of fearlessness, and hope inside of me.

Anything that I wanted to achieve was possible. Now was the time for me to start thinking about leaving the Phoenix courts.

But that also meant leaving Levy.

"Stop day dreaming, Lu-chan! Soon I will have to stop calling you Lu-chan and start calling you Dreamer-chan." Levy said as she began to walk out of the room. She paused at the door and waited for me to catch up.

"Yes Ma'am." I told Levy as I caught up to her at the door. I plastered a smile on my face. It was not completely fake—I still had residue of happiness left from my few moments of giddiness that took place just moments ago, but an immense amount of guilt had come over me now.

As Levy and I walked out the large door, I knew that if I would achieve my goals I would never see her again. It might be a little selfish, but I would have to leave her behind. Levy did not want to come with and I would not force her.

I just could not shake the guilt of leaving Levy here. Alone at the Phoenix court. I could not send away the feeling that I was abandoning Levy for my own desires. I tried to ignore those thoughts and told myself that I had to do this for my own happiness.

It is time for me to pave the road to what I have always wanted.

Freedom from the Phoenix court.

The funny thing was that when I arrived at the Phoenix court, all I was looking for was somewhere to belong. Now, I still wanted to belong but just not here. I wanted to belong at Fairy Tail, the very place that I had rejected.

I remembered all reasons as to why I had declined Gray's invitation to Fairy Tail in the first place. They all seem petty now. I am not a mage, but I fake it well. One day, if I really do reach my goals and make it to Fairy Tail, I might tell the mages there my secret.

I should stop thinking so far ahead of myself. I still had a long way to go. This was one of those many things that I would have to take one step at a time.

Ignis is fire.

*The words that are being said are Latin, like most of the non-English words in here. IN the story, it is known as Phoenix language, but if you want to know what something like that says, you can type it into Google translate. Please keep in mind, though, that when I typed the words into Google translate, I looked up a few words, than a few more words. I did not type the whole thing in at once, so it may or may not be correct.


	3. Chapter 3

**A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams. –unknown**

**What is a word made up of 4 letters yet is also made up of 3. Although is written with 8 letters, and then with 4. Rarely consists of 6, and never is written with 5.**

**If you don't have the courage to change things then you might as well die! – Natsu Dragneel (Fairy Tail)**

**In WW2, more civilians died than soldiers. **

Chapter 3

I tossed the star back and forth experimentally across the palms of my hands. It was still warm to the touch. Who knew if it would ever grow cold? A small smile of satisfaction spread across my lips. As long as the star was still warm, it meant that I had begun to break the bonds of the Phoenix court.

With absolutely no grace, I set the star down on my nightstand and collapsed backwards onto the cotton bed. I could only be like this momentarily. The light hue of my red bedspread practically invited me to fall asleep into it but I still had to eat dinner; I had to get myself out of bed and ready for dinner as soon as possible.

Somehow I managed to thrust myself up from the bed and walk over to my wooden dresser. As I walked, the soft, red carpet tickled my feet and I concentrated on the tickling sensation. It helped to distract me from how sleepy I had become.

I was unsure why, but I had been overcome with fatigue ever since I had come back to my lodging. One glance at the pastel pumpkin orange walls, the red carpet, wooden nightstand, and soft bed, had immediately made my eyelids start drooping. I did not even have the energy to go over to my desk in the corner of the room and straighten it up like I had promised myself to do so many times over the past few weeks.

Truthfully, I probably could have forced myself to clean up the desk. I should have. It was the only part of my lodging that was _me_. It was full of my books, the beginning of my novel, and other nick-nocks and sentimental things I possessed. It was the only thing in my lodging that I really cared about, so it really should have been cleaner.

No more thinking about my desk. I needed to get ready for dinner.

"Arg." So much work to do. Not enough time. Breathing slowly, I opened the dresser drawers and slowly scanned them. I tried to concentrate and find something nice for dinner but my eyes kept fluttering. My body kept sagging to the sides. The will to stay awake was disintegrating quickly.

Finally, I told myself that I would take a small nap before dinner. I had no idea what would happen if I napped too long and did not show up to dinner without a good excuse but my body was too tired to worry about that. I had almost turned into a living zombie.

I lumbered back towards my bed and collapsed into it, head first. Sluggishly, I climbed my way a little closer to the fluffy red pillows and pulled them closer to me. I could not summon the energy to pull up the covers and get underneath them.

Once more, my eyes fluttered but this time I let them stay shut. I quickly fell into welcomed sleep.

"Get up, by orders of The _Regina_," a rough and annoyingly loud voice called out. I groaned and rolled over on my bed. Whoever this person was had disturbed my much needed sleep. I was definitely not happy.

"Five more minutes, please," I said, but my words were soft and more of a noise than a language. My whole body was like a lead pillar and I could not even force myself to open my eyes and see the person I was addressing.

The loud person let out a loud sigh. "If you do not get up by choice, you will be forced up."

I could not comprehend what the person was saying. I had worked out that the deepness of the person's voice signaled it as a man, but the words that he was speaking had no meaning to me. Everything in my brain seemed to no longer work. My thoughts were not processing and I could not register anything that I was hearing, feeling, or even trying to say.

"You are being stubborn. Stupidly so." The stupid, loud voice just kept blathering on and on. "I do not wish to use force. Lucy Heartfilia of the Guard by Blood, it is against the law to ignore the order of The _Regina._"

If I had been awake and attentive, I would have probably gotten up right away. I could not afford to anger The _Regina_ anymore.

Yet, sadly, I was still incoherent and unresponsive. My body just would not start moving. It mattered little to me at the time. All I wanted to do was sleep and maybe get the loud man to stop talking.

Another sigh from the loud man and then, "Crap. You really are going to make me use force." There were a few loud footsteps that approached the side of my bed. Cold and scratchy hands grabbed my sides and hoisted me up. It was very speedy and made me a little nauseous in my half asleep state. The man set me down on his shoulder, like a life sized doll that he had to carry.

I was slowly coming to my senses as the man exited my room and began the walk to the Great Hall. With effort, I was able to pry my eyelids halfway open and, from there, the rest of my body woke within a span of thirty seconds. I was hit with a strong scent of pine needles. It came from the man that carried me, so I assumed it was his cologne. My body began to register how uncomfortable it was in its bent over position on the man's shoulder and my mouth was parched. I was also quite famished, having missed dinner.

Was that what this was all about, me missing dinner? As the man carried me, I tried to see what was going on around me, but my neck ached every time I tried to lift it up so it was most comfortable for my head to lie limply downwards, staring at the dull, yellow carpeting that lead to the Great Hall. I could make out faint rays of sunshine reflecting on the shiny white tiles in the corners of the floor that were not covered by carpeting. It was probably about nine or ten in the morning right now, judging by the sunlight.

The man carrying me grunted and tried to shift me around on his shoulder, "Ah, Lucy Heartfilia, you really had to go and make this hard for me, huh? The _Regina _calls for you and you do not even want to go. I have to force you!" This was followed by a string of mumbled complaints about always doing other people's dirty work.

"Wha coes he regea wept." I tried to form words, but my mouth was still half asleep and felt kind of numb. My attempt at speaking made me sound like a baby learning to talk.

"What are you trying to say?" the man asked.

"What does The _Regina_ want?" The feeling was slowly coming back to my mouth. The forming of words became easier, along with better comprehension of what was going on.

The man chuckled. "How should I know? I only follow orders. I do not ask why I follow them or even why they are issued." The man shifted me a little more on his shoulder. "It would do you some good to listen to The _Regina's _orders as well. Trouble is not something that you should want to bring upon yourself."

Now it was my turn to chuckle. "I seem to do it anyway." From there, I was carried in silence.

We arrived at the Great Hall shortly after that, and I was set down onto the floor with a small plop. The large doors that looked like the entrance to a castle loomed over me and the man that had carried me.

A small panic overcame me, for I had forgotten something important. "I do not have my blue cloak!"

I turned around to face the man that had carried me, but he was already halfway down the hallway and heading back to wherever he came from. I did not even get to know his name or see his face. It did not matter right now; I needed to get my blue cloak. The _Regina _already disliked me, and she had also found out about my whole Fairy Tail thing. If I walked into the Great Hall without my blue cloak on, who knows what the consequences would be?

The blue cloak was a sign that you were below The _Regina. _If you went in without one on, it was like saying that you thought nothing of The _Regina _and that you thought of yourself better than her. Even the royal gardeners that watered the plants in the Great Hall every single day had to wear the blue cloaks. The only people who did not wear them were The _Regina _herself, the Council, and the guards that stood at the foot of the Great Hall. The guards wore a yellow cloak that said that they were higher ranking than a normal person, but not Council ranking or higher. The council wore orange cloaks that symbolized that the only person with power over them was The _Regina _or another Council member. The _Regina _wore no cloak at all. She always wore a dress of the color red, which was the color of Phoenix royalty.

I took a slow, calming breath. My heart was beating erratically and I was weighing my choices. I could go into the Great Hall without my cloak and be on time, or I could run back to my lodging and get my cloak. This would cause me to be late and either way I would make The _Regina _unhappy.

And then a thought struck me.

Was this really about me missing dinner last night, or could it be the delivering of a punishment for mingling with mages? Whatever the reason I was called, it could not be a good one and The _Regina _was probably already unhappy with me anyways. So I picked the option that was the lesser of the two evils.

I walked right in without a cloak on.

The large door opened and closed without a sound, and I stood at the very front of the Great Hall. My feet were bare, I realized, as I noticed the slick feel of satin against my feet. My bare feet would probably get me in even more trouble. Phoenix's have bare feet all the time unless they are in the presence of The _Regina. _Which I was.

I forced my feet to walk down the length of the red and orange carpet. Every step I took reminded me that I had no shoes on. My body felt bare without the blue cloak. I tried to keep my eyes focused forwards, towards the tremendous throne that sat at the end of the carpet. Upon the throne was The _Regina._

As I slowly approached, I could make out The _Regina's _auburn hair tied up into an intricate bun. It made her look menacing. Unlike last time I was here—which was just yesterday but seemed like years ago—The _Regina's _hair normally hung down in regal curls that framed her face; this look always numbed the sharpness of her features. A small shot of fear surged through me. The _Regina's _blue eyes seemed to pierce through my soul. Amplified by the angular face and pulled-back hair, The _Regina _looked like a harpy from hell.

I was three feet away from the throne now. Thestartling bright red of The _Regina's _floor-length dress practically forced me to look at it. The small heart neckline of the dress, the puffy short sleeves, along with a small golden lining around the edges of the dress was like a lure. The dress invited you to come closer. It seemed magical and strange and unusual and made The _Regina _have a mysterious aura.

Finally, I was, approximately, six inches away from the throne. Away from The _Regina._ As swiftly as I could, I dropped into a kneeling position. I averted my eyes towards the carpet and concentrated on the silk pattern. Red, orange, red, orange, red, orange all the way along the span of the seventy foot carpet.

I cleared my throat as softly as I could. "I, Lucy Heartfilia of the Guard by Blood, am here as you requested. _Et fortunae bona valetudo*. Tibi.**_" I gave the traditional greeting when summoned by The _Regina. _The words sounded extremely forced, but that was because they were.

"Tsk." The _Regina _sounded melodious and a bit joyful. Her tone took me aback. It was unexpected and any ideas I had about what might happen during this meeting had vanished, "You, Lucy-_ipsum_***, seem to have a death wish for yourself." The words that come out of The _Regina's_ mouth did not match her light and cheery tone.

I remained silent, but inwardly fumed. She called me an _ipsum. Ipsum! _Damn her. Damn her all the way to the deepest pits of her harpy hell.

The _Regina _continued, "You admit to conversing and even visiting mages. You are not stupid enough to not know that this is a colossal crime against me. Then, when you are summoned to another meeting with your superior, you show up with bare feet, with no cloak, and the same outfit you wore yesterday."

I glanced down at my clothes. On my legs were still my brown Capri pants and my torso was covered with a red tank top that was covered with my orange smock that was used in the Charm Inscriber. I had forgotten that I had not changed my clothes from yesterday; it was like I was saying that I did not respect the queen enough to even change my clothes for her.

There was no time for me to ask for permission to say anything to The _Regina_. She had already begun talking again, "Your disrespect for me is very high. Like mother like daughter. Tell me, Heartfilia spawn; are all the women in your family _ipsums? _Or is it just something you picked up from your _ipsum _mother?"

I clenched my fists.

"Oh, wait a second. There are no other family members of yours, are there?" The _Regina _sounded apologetic in the fakest way. "No matter. It is time for you to know why you were called here. I have better things to do than attend to disrespecting _ipsums _like you, Lucy of the Guard by Blood."

I dared not to move. If I looked up, The _Regina _might take it as a sign of disrespect. Although, my thoughts were starting to border on not caring what The _Regina _said or did and just punching her in the face. This would get me into more trouble than I needed, though.

"I called a brief meeting with the Council late last night," The _Regina _said. "I told them your story and my opinion on it. I also called out a punishment that I saw fit. The Council readily agreed to what I proposed and within seconds the matter was closed and dealt with. I could have skipped the whole meeting with the Council, but who am I to break the long traditions of the Phoenix court? It matters naught. The Council always agrees with the _Regina._"

There was a rustling of The _Regina's _long red dress. I dared to look up and saw that The _Regina _was no longer sitting on her throne. She was now standing in front of it and pulling out a folded piece of parchment from a pocket in her gown. Within seconds, the piece of parchment had been unfolded and I knew what it was right away. I also began to panic.

It was a royal decree. Whatever that piece of parchment said was now a high-held law, even if it only implied to one person. The punishment for breaking the law was immediate death.

I held my breath and hoped with my whole being that I would get out of the next few moments in one piece. The chances that whatever The _Regina _was going to say was in my favor were absolutely minimal.

A wicked smile crossed the auburn-haired ruler's face. "Before I read this to you, I want you to know exactly why this punishment was chosen." I cringed. "When deciding what fate should befall you, I first thought about exile. I quickly realized that that was not a punishment. I know what you want, Lucy Heartfilia. You want to be free from the Phoenix court. That cannot happen. You would give away our hard-kept secret."

The _Regina _stepped down from her throne and was now a mere three inches in front of my face. My eyes would no longer avert down, so I concentrated them on the piercing blue eyes of The _Regina._

"So, I knew that there was only one real punishment for you. I cannot kill you physically, for the law that you broke does not allow that type of punishment"—I breathed a sigh—"but I can kill your soul. I have decided that the only way to truly punish you is to never give you a chance at being away from the Phoenix court."

The auburn-haired ruler now looked at the royal decree and cleared her throat, clearly trying to be theatrical, "As of the date of today, May 18, Lucy Heartfilia of the Guard by Blood is subjected to a life sentence in the prison cellars. She is to be kept alive and given the necessary amounts of food and water to survive. If the stated person does not serve her sentence, she will be punished in the way stated in the law: Broken Royal Decree section 4. This states that a broken royal decree is punishable by death."

With those words, The _Regina _rolled up the parchment and put it back in her pocket.

I was stunned. My brain did not understand this. Why was I being sentenced to eternal hell? Forever in the Phoenix court with no sunlight and flying was probably the equivalent of dying. Just the thought of never being able to get out and spread my _alae _again brought an ache to the red feathered _alae. _

Emotions swirled though my chest. Anger, hate, sadness and disbelief were all like a hurricane in my stomach. My whole world felt rattled. I could not even decide what emotion was the strongest that I felt, but my body seemed to like the idea of sadness. Tears began to pour out of my eyes in never ending swells.

"W-Why must you be so horrible to me?" I choked it out. I was speaking out of turn and I looked like a depressed fool but I did not care. I needed to know why I was being treated like I was an assassin.

There was a snort from The _Regina_. "You do not deserve an answer. You do not even deserve your name! Your title is: of the Guard by Blood but you do it no honor. You want to run away from what you are supposed to Guard! It is in your blood to do so but you want to ignore that blood. Your job, _ipsum,_ was supposed to be part of the elite Guard squad. Your mother's job was too, hence why you have the blood of a guard. You turned down the most elite position of non-political work just because you are a stubborn mule. I am disgusted by someone who cannot even live up to their given title."

That struck a small blow to me. Tears stopped coming in swells and started to come in tsunamis, practically suffocating me in my own sadness. I remembered when I turned down the Guard job. It was because I could not stand to protect a place that I did not like.

"_Why do you not wish to be a Guard? Why? It is in your blood! It is your very being!" The Regina's Guard, Neofore, yelled at me. He had been training me before my late afternoon job at the Charm Inscriber every day for the past year. Neofore had always said that when my __**alae**__ had grown in that I could stop working at the Charm Inscriber and become a member of the Guard. _

_Now, my __**alae**__ had grown in and I did not want to be a part of the Guard. Neofore continued his rant, his black mustache bunching up around his mouth in anger. "I have wasted the last year of my life training a Guard by Blood that does not wish to be a Guard? You disgrace your blood. Your poor ancestors will look down on you from heaven and curse your name! Did you ever think that there was a reason that you were so good at everything I taught you? Did you never think about what your title meant? You dishonor everything I have ever stood for. Everything!"_

_I was slowly cowering away from Neofore. Being only fourteen, a tall, broad man with a black Mohawk like Neofore made me want to bolt from the room. I tried with all my might to stand my ground, like Neofore himself had taught me, but my will was melting into a puddle of ashes._

_Neofore rubbed his head tenderly before giving me a deep glare with his coal black eyes. "At least tell me why you do not wish to join the Guard. It is every Phoenix commoner's dream except yours! Why are you the only commoner that does not?" _

_I had to think about that for a moment. Honestly, I was not sure why. My heart kept telling me that this was something that I did not want to do. It was one of my split second decisions that I was horrible at but, for once, I think I would not regret this one. "I don't— I-I mean I do not—…because…I do not wish to be a Guard because—" I had to pause and gather my thoughts a little more. How was I supposed to put this? "Because my heart is telling me not to."_

_It sounded cliché and stupid. The words that came out of my mouth did not satisfy Neofore, or even me for that matter, and he slammed his hand into the wall angrily. Before I could even contemplate another action, Neofore grabbed my shoulders and began shaking me. The yellow beaded necklaces around his neck rattle and swing into my face as he does so, causing me to twist and turn away from him, but the burly man kept his grip on my shoulders._

"_Your heart? How about you use your head? When I met you last year, you always listened to your head. You used your head. What has gone wrong with you?" Neofore was harsh. The man always was, but now it was to the max. The cheery yellow cargo pants and muscle shirt that Neofore wore seemed to make his angry face look tomato red. That had to be impossible though. No one could turn that shade of red, even if they were as angry as Neofore._

_I felt like I needed to respond to Neofore's fit of rage. "Things do change, Neofore. I have changed." These words made me feel older and wiser than just fourteen._

_Neofore only scoffed. _

"_Just sprouted your __**alae**__ and you think that you are smarter than me? Wiser? I know well that things change, people do change especially fast, but people do not become stupider. Except for maybe you. No smart person would turn down their title. Every time, from this day forward, that some calls you by your true title, it will be a dig into your conscience. Soon, you will regret not following what you were born to be. When people say your title, all they will think is that you failed to become a Guard. You cannot change your title! You will forever be known as Lucy Heartfilia of the Guard by Blood, a failure who could not live up to her namesake."_

_With those words, Neofore gave me a shove and stomped away. _

_I leaned against the stone wall of the Guard training room and sank down onto the orange training mats that adorned the floor. This would be the last time that I would enter this room, and I had just sealed my fate as forever part of the Charm Inscriber, but I was not a failure. What I had just done, what I had just achieved, was me staying true to myself._

_Even as the minutes ticked by and I sat in the training room of the Guards, I could not shake some of my conversation with Neofore. I did not regret any of it, but there was one thing that bothered me a little bit. I did not truly know why I did not want to be part of the Guard._

_At the time, Phoenix life was still somewhat new to me. Only a few weeks later had I noticed how truly dull it was, especially now without the Guard training. The same question still haunted me though. Why did I not join the Phoenix Guard? Especially if it was in my Blood like so many people claimed?_

_It would not be for another year until I realized the answer to my question._

I clenched my teeth and gave The _Regina _a hard stare. "Do you hate me so just because I did not follow my title? If that is true, then this is ridiculous. Do you wish to know why I did not join the Guard?"

"Humor me." The _Regina _was now emotionless.

"I could not stand to protect a place that I did not like."

My words had no obvious impact on the woman across from me. She did not raise her voice, but it sounded menacing enough without it being amplified. "You may not like the Phoenix court, but it is your origin. It is where your blood is from. You can try to deny your blood. Just like your mother, but it will always be a part of you!

"The first step of denial was to turn away being part of the Guard. Lucy Heartfilia of the Guard by Blood"—Now The _Regina's _voice became louder—"Your mother was part of the Guard before being exiled for treason against me. The only reason you were allowed back in is because the Phoenix court law does not hold a mother's crimes against her child."

She was avoiding my question! "You still have not answered me. Why do you hate me?"

"A commoner like you has no right to be asking questions of her ruler."

"Apparently I am not a commoner anymore. I am a criminal forced to her eternal hell in a cage." I stood up from my kneeling position, adrenalin pumping through my veins, and spread my _alae _as far as they could reach. I no longer kept them neatly tucked behind my back, which was the proper way to have them. I spread my _alae _free, mostly because it would probably be the last time that I would be in a room larger than ten feet.

"Criminals have even more reason to listen to their rulers. You no longer have normal rights. I can do anything to you now. Any smart person would start praising the ground I walk upon." The _Regina _went back to her throne and sat upon it. She had 'smug and victorious' practically tattooed across her forehead.

I started to lightly flap my _alae._ This would be the last time for me. Soon I would never have the chance to see Levy again. I would never even be able to hope to visit Fairy Tail. I would never fly again.

Unless I tried to escape now.

Suspiciously, and as inconspicuously as possible, I surveyed the Great Hall. There were three high ranking guards at the door, and probably more waiting outside, but they were all wearing their cloaks. The cloaks would slow down their _alae _while my _alae _would be unrestrained. I would be faster. I would have the upper hand and a chance at freedom.

Then I eyed The _Regina. _If I got caught, I would be dead. There was no doubt about it. This might just be a risk worth taking though. I would never have to live in the Phoenix court again. Never have the same boring routines. Never see The _Regina _again.

"Guards, take Lucy to the cellars!" The _Regina_'s voice rang throughout the Great Hall. I had to make my decision in seconds, before the Guards reached me.

My thoughts continued in over drive.

I would miss Levy though. I would never be able to see her again; I will not even be able to say goodbye to her. Would she ever forgive me?

Frantically, I looked towards the approaching Guards who were about thirty feet away. My horrible split second decision skills might just be the death of me. I glanced towards the door, and then at the glass ceiling of the Great Hall. I knew for a fact that there was a small latch on the glass ceiling that opened it up like a window. I could escape from there.

But could I really leave Levy behind? I also realized that I left my clay star in my lodging. My first sign of difference and I would never get to see it again. That disappointed me. It would probably be thrown out of my lodging as soon as I was gone anyway.

Panic poured through my body, accompanied by more adrenalin, some fear, and a dash of hope. No matter what the outcome was, I would not return to the Great Hall ever again. I would not see anyone else of the Phoenix race.

The Guards were two paces away.

I made my decision.

**Big thanks**** to PantherLily1 for reviewing chapter one,  
and GoldenRoseTanya for reviewing chapter two.**

**A/N- Today it rained! I love the rain. It's so calming and great to just sit and watch. It's beautiful, really. I'm writing chapter ten as this is posted, and I think the weather fits the mood of that chapter pretty well. Of course, none of you know what I'm talking about, so now you have to wait till I get to chapter 10. **

**Algae- Wings**

**Regina- Queen**

*** Et fortunae bona valetudo- Good fortune and Health**

**** Tibi- to you**

***** Ipsum- Bitch**

**A Note about the Phoenix language- It is not a language like English, Spanish, French, etc. I take Latin words (Thank you Google translate) and put them in the story, but Phoenix language is not a language you use all the time like English, Spanish, etc. It is only with certain words, greetings, during charms, and other special times but not with every single word you say. It is like when people speak English and they say hola of bonjour. They aren't English words, but people use them randomly during the day. It is sort of like that with Phoenix language**


	4. Chapter 4

**A promise is a cloud; fulfillment is the rain.- Arabian proverb.**

…**As the days seem to go on endlessly, I await the 'someday' I've always been promised. That 'someday' when things are supposed to be perfect…the 'someday' when I find my place in this unforgiving world- unknown.**

**A seventy five year old person would have slept 23 years.**

**Mosquitoes are attracted to the color blue more than any color. **

Chapter 4

Note* Still Lucy Point of View. Time skip of about a day.

I collapsed face down onto the ground. My body was numb and my mind comprehended nothing. There was one thought that raced through my head: Water. I needed water. Sleep, food and even oxygen were all beyond me. All I could think about was my need for water.

Briefly, I tried to distract myself by assessing how badly I was wounded. The Guards had shot the _ignis _at me, and even with my speed serving as an advantage, a lot of it hit me. Through my numbness, I could feel some of the burn from the _ignis _but it would not register in my brain. I had turned into two separate, practically dead entities: Body and mind. Neither was connected to the other in any way.

I was vaguely aware of my surroundings. My body was lying on something hard and the air around me was warm, but the more I tried to figure out where I was, the more I went back to thinking about my dehydration.

There was no way for me to move any part of my body. Some part of my brain knew that I should be panicking. I mean, this could be the end for me! Yet, I was helpless. I was just a sack of skin and bones that would forever be forgotten on the ground.

"Look! Over here! There's a girl on the ground!" a male voice called out. I could barely make out the footsteps as the man stepped over, accompanied by an unknown amount of people.

"She's in pretty bad condition." The man bent down next to me and lightly felt the pulse on my neck. "This girl is alive, but barely. What do you think we should do?"

A feminine voice let out a disapproving snort. "You're so stupid. We take her to the guild of course! Why the hell would we leave her here on the ground?"

Three sets of hands grabbed me and lifted me up, slowly flipping me over so that my face was soaking up the sunlight.

A collective gasp came from the three people. I felt my hair being pushed out of my face and could hear whispering between two male voices.

"I-It's her! Lucy!" a different male spoke up. "I knew something was wrong. I told you guys! I knew it… I told you so! I told everyone at the guild so! ...Honestly, Lucy, how did this happen…?" All of my weight was transferred from six hands to being carried in the two hands of the male that just spoke.

"Are you going to keep saying 'I told you so' or are you going to take Lucy to the guild to get cleaned up?" the female spoke up again.

That was when my brain caught up with the conversation. Lucy? That is my name. These people knew me! But only Fairy Tail mages know my name. How could these people know me?

I strained my ears to try and hear the now hushed voices of the three people and see if I recognized them. It was hopeless. I received nothing besides mumbled noises.

Slowly, I was being lulled to sleep. I could tell that the man carrying me was running but that had no effect on me whatsoever. I felt more like I was in a cradle, being gently rocked to sleep except for my extreme need of water.

My throat was practically sandpaper and I did not dwell on what the Guards could have used on me to make this so. I had never known of a Charm or _ignis _use that could cause such severe dehydration. For all I know, it could be my own fault.

"Hang on Lucy, You have to hang on." It was one of the two males. He sounded desperate.

I could no longer tell the difference between the two male voices. All three people had started another conversation but I could pick up nothing from it. My mind was slowly fading. I tried to hold on, like the man told me to, but it was hard. There was nothing for me to hold on to.

Rather quickly, the numbness faded away. Intense burning and heat radiated throughout my body, replacing the unfeelingness. The pain was so forceful that I wanted to scream and thrash about, but my body would not do it. I could not signal to my rescuers how much pain I was in.

The pain engulfed my body and I knew I could no longer hold on. It felt like this fire would go on forever; Phoenix Heaven in a normal circumstance. But right now it was the deepest layer of hell. I did not even care about my life at that moment. The pain just had to stop.

Every fiber of my being told me that there was only one way for the pain to stop. To let go. To fade away and never come back. I contemplated it, but the man who carried me said that I had to hang on. I really wanted to hang on, but I wanted the pain to stop even more than I cared to obey the man.

So I let go.

"She's waking up! She's waking up! Oh my god, she's still alive. Thank the heavens! Thank whatever god is up there, for Lucy is alive! Ha, you gave us a scare there, Lucy."

I wanted to yell at the person screaming to shut up. Who in the Phoenix court ever yelled like that anyways? Maybe it was Levy, but this sounded too much like a guy. I needed to open my eyes to see what man in the Phoenix court would yell this loud.

Then I realized that I was no longer in the Phoenix court. I had run away. Barely escaping the guards and practically dead, but I had made it away from the Phoenix court. The details of my escape were blurry in my mind, almost nonexistent.

The greatest miracle was that I was still alive.

A door slammed open, and it sounded like a stampede of cows was invading the room. There was yelling, a few things breaking, and no organization whatsoever. This interested me. Where could I be that was like this? What place in the world was so barbaric and unorganized and so chaotic that it—

Fairy Tail. The thought hit me like a ton of bricks before I immediately perked up. I had made it to Fairy Tail! My rescuers had been from Fairy Tail! It was all a dream come true.

Against my body's wishes, I pried my eyes open.

I was met with a bit of an eyesore. Crowding around in front of me was Cana, Natsu, Erza, Gray and Happy while The Master sat at the edge of my bed. It seemed like the whole guild had shoved themselves into this small room. I honestly mean the whole guild and a _small _room.

Chatter practically exploded from everyone's mouth as they pushed and shoved each other violently. The Master took no notice and instead turned his attention to me.

"You made it to Fairy Tail, Lucy! Nice to have you back and mostly in one piece!" Makarov turned around to address the rest of the guild, "Now, the rest of you, get out! Lucy needs her rest. Your blabbering will only make her feel worse!"

There were a few protests, but everyone filed out of the room with no big problems.

At least, almost everyone did. There were a few that pretty much refused to leave, even after the master gave them a few extremely rude gestures. Namely, Natsu, Happy, Gray, Cana and Loki decided to stay. Makarov sighed at their defiance and stayed in the room with them.

"Good morning, everyone," I forced out. My voice sounded weak and scratchy. It was pathetic. Automatically, everyone else in the room had a worried look on their face. They were being sympathetic and nurturing. It kind of ticked me off. I was in Fairy Tail; no one was supposed to be like a mother hen to me.

"Lucy, it's great to see you again! You took so long to get here! Then, everyone started freaking out when they saw you, then Mirajane took over, then I wasn't allowed to do nothing. Mirajane was being mean," Natsu spoke loud and obnoxiously. Good, that was what I needed. My good old-fashioned Fairy Tail guild cannot start getting quiet just because I showed up.

"Mirajane wasn't being mean, you stupid Flamebrain!" Cana scolded Natsu. She too raised her voice and, to top it off, slapped Natsu violently on the back of his head. "She was making sure idiots like you wouldn't do something stupid! Which was a good idea because you always go and find something stupid to do."

"I'm not stupid!" Flames appeared on Natsu's fists, and he let out an angry roar. "You're the stupid one!"

"Shut up, Fireplace!" It was Gray's turn to slap Natsu. "You're going to hurt Lucy like that!"

Natsu growled and turned towards Gray. "Don't tell me what to do, ice poop! You're just a pain in the ass and a big fat sissy! Why don't you go find a grandma to knit with?"

Of course, Gray couldn't stand for this. He lunged at Natsu and they began to brawl. Ice, flames and the occasional Happy was being tossed around in the air. It was perfect! I relished in every second of it.

Before I knew it, I was laughing hysterically. It hurt my body and Loki and Cana gave me weird looks but I could not help it. I was not laughing because Gray's and Natsu's fighting was funny. I was laughing because I had finally been hit with the full force of what I was seeing and why.

I got to view the marvelous spectacle of Natsu and Gray fighting because I stood up for myself and ran away. Just the thought made me giddy. I stood up and now I was free! Forever free! Anywhere I wanted to go, whenever I wanted to do it; I could do it all now. My life had forever changed.

"Stop fighting before you two morons hurt Lucy," Loki said. He pushed the two brawling boys apart and gave each a stern look before turning back to me. "We can't have a beautiful angel like Lucy getting even more beat up now, can we?"

The rest in the room rolled their eyes. For a few seconds, silence took over. I was a little confused over Loki's actions. He had always seemed to avoid me, but right now he was—dare I say it?—flirting with me. Why in Phoenix's name would he do that? I did not dwell on it long. My attention was quickly brought to the state of my body.

I was no longer thirsty, but I was a bit hungry and definitely fatigued. I could feel deep burns all over my body from the Guards' _ignis _and I had definitely a broken bone in one of my _alae_. That would take weeks to heal too.

My _alae! _Fairy Tail did not know I had _alae. _I had hidden them to try and avoid any questions about them but now it was too late. Someone would ask a question about them. Actually, I was kind of surprised that I had not already been hammered with questions.

The Master cleared his throat and that was when I knew the questions would begin. I guess I spoke too soon.

"So, Lucy, I see that you have a new addition on your back." Makarov motioned to my _alae._ Everyone's eyes immediately shot towards them and I sank a little under the gray bed sheets. I did not want everyone staring at me like that, even if they were close friends. Loki especially seemed to be taking a particular interest in my _alae_.

"Yes, but they are not new. I have had these"—I motion to my back—"for a long time." This was pretty much true. Four years is a long enough time for me to have my _alae _and make it sound like I have had them forever,

Natsu immediately walked over, followed by the rest of the room's occupants. All of them looked intently at my _alae._

"Those wings are so cool," Natsu decided after a few seconds of staring. "You should have showed us those before! Happy could have had a flying buddy." The blue cat nodded vigorously but I just shrugged. I did not know if announcing that I had _alae _to the world would be a good idea. I also found it sort of strange that my _alae _were being referred to as 'wings'. I had never used that term for my _alae _before, since 'wings' normally brings up pictures of fairies and flying monkeys.

"I guess the matter was one that I had never thought to bring up," I said.

"Well, they are some mighty fine wings," Loki observed. "It's just strange for a celestial mage to have them." I panicked slightly. Would Loki suspect something? I tried to mask my expressions as the conversations continued on.

"Oh, that reminds me," Makarov said as he once again held out a golden key. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Loki backing away from the golden object. He eyed it with great caution. "This key is a present for you Lucy! Erza got it as a reward for a job, but it was worthless to her so we decided that we would give it to you as a present. Enjoy."

I took the key with a smile plastered on my face. It was flattering that Fairy Tail thought to give me a gift, but I still had no real clue how my celestial keys worked. Keeping my smile plastered on my face, I put the golden key onto the silver key ring at my waist.

Pretending to be floored, I exclaimed, "Thank you so very much! I love it and will treasure it!"

Makarov beamed. "You're very welcome. Now"—the old man hopped off of my bed and walked over towards Gray—"while Fullbuster goes to find his shirt"—Gray casually looked down and a look of surprise crossed his face. He did not hurry to find his shirt though; he took his time and slowly sauntered out the room—"I need to ask you a few questions."

I bit on my lip and mumbled a go for it. This could not be good. Whatever Makarov had to ask me would definitely involve lying! That meant split second decisions. With a beaten and bruised body, who knows how extremely horrible my mind was going to work?

"First, why were you found on the outskirts of Magnolia in a near-death state?" Makarov sounded like he was a machine reading questions off of a piece of paper.

Why was I found on the outskirts of Magnolia? The truth was because I was being chased by Guards who were throwing _ignis _at me and yelling at me to stop and also because I was now technically a fugitive and had broken a bunch of laws in the Phoenix court that would, more likely than not, get me killed. This was all because I was a Phoenix and not human or a mage like any of them. Actually, I cannot even perform mage magic and I had been lying about being a celestial mage the whole time.

Now, I obviously cannot tell Makarov the truth. I needed a good lie. Something that was believable and rational and could be explained easily.

"I-I was there because I- um, because I was… I do not remember." That was lame and pathetic. Makarov seemed satisfied with the answer however, along with all the other mages, so I guess it was not that bad.

"Are you still not feeling well?" Cana questioned as she leaned over me and laid a hand on my forehead. "Master can ask these damn questions later if you want." Then she looked over at Makarov. "Maybe Lucy can't remember because she isn't feeling good. Did you ever think that she isn't totally recovered yet? You blundering old man."

Makarov looked alarmed, as if the thought had never crossed his mind before. He tried to sputter out an excuse but I came to the rescue.

"It is alright, Cana. I am not feeling one hundred percent yet, but I can answer questions. I do not need to be coddled like a child." My voice was definitely unhealthy, despite my words. All the occupants in the room gave me concerned looks.

Cana shot Master a small glare. "You can obviously tell that Lucy isn't okay. In order for her to fully recover, you need to leave your questions for another day. The poor girl looks like she went through a hurricane; find out why she did it later. Shoo, you pests, before I bring out the pesticide." Cana motioned towards the door.

Makarov glanced between me and the door. He took a quick look at Cana, who was swiftly getting angry with him, before hurrying out the door. The man did not want Cana's wrath released upon him. I bet he knew from experience how bad a woman's anger is.

A new feeling of fatigue washed over me. It was small at first, before it increased into a feeling of extreme dizziness and little black dots clouding my vision. The pure unexpectedness of the fatigue made it twice as bad. Before Cana could even figure out what was wrong with me, my eyes met darkness.

My eyes would not open, but I was conscious now. Distinctly, I could hear two people arguing beside me. My whole body hurt and I still felt faint, so every word out of their mouth's hurt my head.

"Shut up you sonova—"

"We have a kid in here. Watch your language, Cana!"

"You watch your language! Lucy is clearly laying sick right in front of you and you come in here with your son and start blabbing that mouth of yours. You set a horrible example for your son."

"Cana! Don't talk like that, you little piece a—"

"Macao, who was just telling me that I should watch my language?"

"Romeo is my kid; I can talk how I wanna in front of him."

I could not hold on to conscience any more. Pain flooded over me and I was no longer aware of anything.

Again, conscience came back to me. Yet again, I could not open an eye. Moving a limb seemed impossible. In the background I could vaguely make out a group of people whispering. I could only pick up bits and pieces of the conversation even as I strained my ears.

"What are we going…should we…they might just know how to solve…find him."

"…have to…trying! He's…we have to keep… Don't give up on him!"

"Sh, you…elephant stomping through…give me that face! You know it's true."

"I am not!"

"Says…the ma…just screamed."

"You two need to…plan. Where do… Master."

"He… clue. …Sorry Erza."

"Can't blame you Cana. …Master's movements…"

"We should go look anyway!"

"Shut the…Natsu."

"No way, ice pee!"

"Shut the hell up! No fighting in here, boys! Can't you see Lucy is sick? Go away you morons!"

"Sorry Cana."

"…Cana"

"Good grief. …boys…"

"Agreed."

"So, how about—"

I strained to hear more, but a sharp pain seared through my head. Swiftly, pounding pain engulfed my body and trying to stay awake was futile. I had to give into the string of pain.

"Lucy, you have to get up! Now!" Someone was shaking my shoulders and calling out my name. They sounded frantic. Panicked. Desperate.

I let out a small, unintelligible groan. My entire body was slowly waking up but I could not find a way to react to the speaker's words or tone of voice. It was as if I could not register the things going on around me.

A piercing scream echoed throughout the building.

The owner of the voice that spoke to me was pinching my arms. I wanted to tell this person to stop. It hurt. I could not get my body to move. I felt like my brain was on autopilot. Hearing but not reacting, being but not living.

The voice stopped pinching me and sucked in a hurried breath. "We have to go. Quickly! Now would be a good time for you to wake up and use those wings of yours."

Wings? What wings? Oh, my _alae._ The large, twelve feet of feathers on my back felt like a sack of potatoes. One _alae _was definitely broken, but on the mend, while the other had a strange, numbing sensation in it. They felt foreign on my own body.

I was slowly lifted up by a pair of strong and very well muscled arms. I could only assume that the owner of the voice that spoke to me was the one that lifted me up. Cradling me in their arms, the speaker began to run.

Swiftly I deducted that the speaker was a male. A strong and healthy male that I knew, yet I could not place who it was. No matter who it was, my head was lying comfortably on his shoulder while he dashed away from who knows what towards who knows where.

My entire body bobbed up and down as the man ran and it sped up the awakening of my senses. Feeling returned first to my feet, which felt prickly and uneasy. Then my _alae_ could be felt, and the sharp pain from my broken _alae _shot through my body.The broken _alae _were slanted at an awkward angle, due to the position that I was being carried in, and, to put it simply, I was in great pain.

The rest of my body gained feeling fairly quickly and soon, my eyes fluttered open. They were met abruptly with a shining sun, which caused me to squint and wish I could go back to sleep. The warm air around me was shooting at my skin and I realized just how fast the person carrying me was running.

Who _was _the person carrying me?

Curiously, I glanced upwards as I tried to ignore the blinding sun. I had to blink a few times until a familiar male face came into focus.

Loki was looking out in front of him with a look of set determination on his face. He was concentrating very hard on reaching his goal, where ever it was. As if sensing my eyes on him, Loki looks down and his eyes met mine. His legs slow down into a walk so that I rock slowly back and forth instead of bobbing up and down like a ship in a storm.

"Hey, Lucy," Loki said with a friendly smile. "How're ya feeling?"

I have no words for a response. Loki has only been a part of Fairy Tail for three years; with my once a year visits, I had not had a chance to get to know him very well. It did not help that he tried to subtly avoid me every time I came close to him. Cana had always said it was because I was a celestial mage and I could not help but wonder what Loki would think of my façade as a celestial mage.

To try and keep myself from looking foolish, I attempted to speak. "I am in decent health. One of my _ala_—er, wings—is definitely broken." I could only pray that Loki did not question me about what I was going to call my 'wings.'

The orange haired boy seemed too distracted to interrogate me. Despite his friendly smile, his eyes darted back and forth warily. Loki seemed to be searching for something—or was it someone?—and his attention was only half on me.

That was when I noticed my surroundings. Loki and I were on the edge of Magnolia. There was the beginning of a town to my left and to the right was a vast plain that led into a forest and, in the distance, a snow peaked mountain. All around me, fresh spring air lazily drifted by and the subtle scent of wild flowers was a welcome delight to my senses. I sucked in a deep breath before turning back to Loki, who had stopped being distracted and was now directing all of his attention towards me.

"What are you looking at?" I asked. Loki did not grace me with an answer. Instead, he took a step closer and brought his eyes towards the silver key ring around my waist.

The male let out a small chuckle. "I see you have Aquarius, Cancer, and Lyra. I can bet you that Aquarius is mad that she hasn't been summoned in years. You wouldn't believe how she complains about it, but I can guarantee you that she likes to be out and about once in awhile."

"What are you saying?" I did not know what a Lyra was, nor an Aquarius or a Cancer. Loki gave me a small, somewhat sorry, smirk that was laced with the obvious 'I know something that you don't'.

"I'm saying that I know about your _alae_; I know you didn't intend to originally say 'wings'."

I was shocked. How could Loki, a mere mage, know any piece of the Phoenix language? To my knowledge, I was careful enough to never speak it during my visits to Fairy Tail. Loki must have learned it somewhere else, but the question was where?

"I'm also saying," Loki continued in a nonchalant tone, "that I now know you're not a celestial mage. I know you aren't a mage at all, for that matter."

Should I try to run away from Loki? He knew my secret. He might even know what I really am. How? Why? Who told him? Loki quickly went from a friendly acquaintance to a wild card that could easily be my greatest enemy or closest ally. I could feel my body shaking from Loki's knowledge on a part of my background. What would he do with it?

"How do you know?" I found it really hard to find words to speak. "How do you know all of these things? These secrets that I have not told a soul, yet you know them. I must admit, it makes me a little frightened. It makes me wonder as well. Are you friend or foe, Loki?"

Loki took a small step back from me before looking into the clear afternoon sky. He seemed to be thinking about something, but then he spoke, "I'm definitely your friend Lucy. Don't doubt that."

"You still have not answered my first questions." I gave Loki an accusing stare. "How do you know these things? Who told you them?"

Loki grinned. It was not an impish grin, nor a sarcastic one, but a grin that showed that Loki thought this was truly funny. I felt utterly and completely lost. As I was slowly getting answers to my questions, I realized that answers led to even more questions.

Orange haired Loki opened his mouth to speak, but before he uttered a word he clamped his mouth shut and was at my side in a second. He scooped me back into his arms, bridal style, and gave the area another look. I frantically glanced around, looking for the cause of Loki's sudden actions.

A piercing scream echoed in the air.

With me in his arms, Loki began running. It was the same as before, and I was reminded of my broken _alae _as pain shot through it. Each step Loki took caused me to bounce and bobble and therefore also hit my _alae._ Every. Single. Time.

New questions raced through my head, but did not drive out the old ones. What was Loki running from? Where was he taking me? What happened to the rest of Fairy Tail? How does Loki know about _alae?_ Does Loki know about _ignis? _Where did Loki learn any of these things? The questions seemed to be endless in my head.

After a few minutes of running, Loki began to slow down. I grimaced with every slower step and soon thought about just leaping out of Loki's arms so that I could stop the pain from happening. It ended up not mattering, because Loki set me down again.

This time, we were in the forest I saw when Loki first put me down. The air was humid, almost uncomfortable. It was also incredibly shady despite the humidity.

"What is going on? Why did you pick me up and start running again? Why were you running with me in the first place?" Questions poured out of me and I had to physically force myself to stop asking them.

Loki let out a tired breath and I felt a little bad about throwing questions at him in that state, but I needed answers.

"You were being chased," Loki said as he reclaimed his breath, "and I thought we were safe, but then they were approaching again so I just acted. I picked you up and ran. Sorry if I hurt ya."

"It is alright. Thank you for taking care of me."

"No problem. No problem. Just doing what any gentleman would do to help a lovely lady like you."

I deflated a little bit. Loki's flirtatious words were really against the current mood. It made me feel the tiniest bit awkward. I did not let that stop me though, because I needed answers. I motioned to the forest floor and took a seat on it, Loki quickly following suit. I tried to ignore the tiny stick poking at my body as I struggled to get a comfortable position. If things went well and we were uninterrupted, Loki and I would be here for a while so he could answer some of my questions.

"Loki, where is the rest of Fairy Tail?" I had decided to start out with questions that were not exactly part of our personal, more secret, lives.

"Fighting. Now, before you ask, yes, they are fighting things that are in league with the thing that was chasing us. Yes, that thing was after you. Yes, Fairy Tail knows you got away from the guild safely. No, you may not go back. No, you may not join the fight."

I took a deep breath and let the entire information sink into my brain. Sadly, Loki's list of answers to my questions was the gateway to even more questions. The poor boy would probably be sick of me by the time I was done.

I met Loki's eyes and asked, "Can you tell me exactly what happened? What the thing chasing us is and everything?"

"Sure I can. But you have to promise me one thing."

"What is it?" This could not be good.

"You can't freak out over anything I say and go running back to Fairy Tail to try and help them. You would be useless in your current state and, to put the icing on the cake, you would not be able to join the fight unless you told everyone you were not a mage."

"I definitely will not do that."

"You have to promise. I promised everyone that I would keep you safe and far away from the battlefield."

"I promise."

"Say it like you mean it."

"I promise to you, Loki of Fairy Tail, that I, Lucy of nature—that may or may not be unbeknownst to Loki—will not go running back to Fairy Tail to try and help them after anything that you say."

"Thanks."

"For doing what, exactly?"

"Really meaning what you said."

**A/N- Thank you to Fooster26, FabFairyFan, savo144, FuzzyPeachz12, GoldenRoseTanya, StuffedCupacakes, and a guest for reviewing chapter 3!**

**A NOTE~- FuzzyPeachz 12 asked if Lucy has magic and what the Phoenix Court is. The answer the part about Lucy's magic, that is explained in a later chapter. It is sort of complicated.**

**The Phoenix court, on the other hand, is a group of people that named themselves the Phoenix court but are not an actual court. They are a group of Phoenix's that all live together, away from the rest of society, with their own laws and such. The Phoenix Court has their own Government, supposedly democratic because of the council but basically ruled by The Regina (who has the highest power). **

**When I cultivated the Phoenix Court, I thought Court sounded better than Group, or Clan, or something else like that. They were created in the image of a cult mixed with mythical creatures trying to hide their existence from humans. I took the idea of Phoenix from the actual mythical bird, (which is why they have wings, and why ignis is sort of like fire.)**

**This chapter was a nice start to some action, but not really of the plot of the story. I sort of divided this story into arcs, and this is the Lucy/Loki adventure arch. No romance, though. The Lucy/Loki Adventure Arch is not really a plot arch type of thing, more like an arch where everything slides into place so that the real plot can come out. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Tis skill, not strength, that governs a ship."- Thomas Fuller**

**Pain nourishes courage. You can't be brave is you've only had wonderful things happen to you- unknown**

**Sharks can live up to 100 years**

**The letters J and K are not used if you spell out any number individually.**

Chapter 5

Loki took a few seconds to get comfortable. A long pause stretched over the two of us and I could only hear the rustling of the barely noticeable forest creatures around us. I took that time to try and calm down my racing heart. This was the most action I've had in a while. It was riveting, to say the least.

"Thing is, where should I start?" Loki pondered for a few seconds, and all of my attention was brought onto him. "So, I guess when you arrived at Fairy Tail would be a decent enough time.

"When you arrived at the guild you were knocked out for about three days before you had that small talk with the Master. After that, you drifted in and out of consciousness for about another four days. Gray, Natsu, Cana and Erza were practically killing themselves when you wouldn't just stay conscious. Anyways, during those four days, I guess you could say that a lot of things happened to me."

This caught my attention rather well and at the same time added to my ever growing supply of questions.

Loki continued, "I supposedly went missing, althou—"

"Supposedly?" I asked. I was getting confused rather quickly too.

"Ya know; I was just getting to explaining that. Patience is a virtue and all that crap! Jeez, hold your questions till the end." Loki gave me what could only be described as a mock glare. Yet, the edge of playfulness in it took out all of the meaning of the word 'glare'. Hence, the term 'mock'. "Continuing on. I supposedly went missing but I really wasn't captured or kidnapped or even lost for that matter. I had a few personal things to take care of so I left without telling Mirajane or Master. I was gone those entire four days you were partly conscious. People at the guild started looking for me. Of course, I didn't know this until I came back.

"During those four days, a few things happened to me here and there. Namely, a fight took place. I got beaten up and was exhausted. Then I went back to Fairy Tail. I was only back at the guild for a maximum of four hours before it was attacked," Loki sighed. "I couldn't even squeeze a decent nap in. I mean, honestly, don't people understand the term 'beauty sleep'?"

I looked closer at Loki and saw the signs of fatigue he was trying to hide. Before, I did not notice them since I was too wrapped up in previous events but now I could see how he fought for his eyes to stay open. I also took note of the various scratches and semi-deep cuts that lined Loki's body. It surprised me that I had not noticed the length of Loki's wounds, both physical and mental, beforehand.

"It doesn't matter, I guess. Sleep is just a waste of time after all." Loki tried to give me a reassuring smile, but it was not coming out in a decent fashion. "Where was I? Oh yeah. The guild was being attacked. I sort of have an idea of what it was that attacked the guild but I can't be certain. All I know is that they were after you, Lucy. Master figured that out quick enough and told me to take you away from the fighting as fast as I could. After all, when playing capture the flag, it is not wise to leave your flag out in the open where the enemy can get it at any time. So, strategy tells the planner to take one of his more injured or weaker players and send him away with the flag so that it has some sort of protection and the strong players aren't pulled from the battlefield."

The metaphor was pretty horrible. I told Loki so, but he only shrugged it off dismissively.

Something was bothering me about Loki's story though. What was after me? What was happening? I also could not help but slightly wonder what Loki's personal business was. Why had he not told anyone that he was leaving? What had attacked him? There was no time for these questions because Loki continued to speak.

"Master told me to bring you back to the guild in three days. If we come near the guild and it sounds like they're still fighting, you leave for another—"

"You just said that only _I_ would leave again. You did not say 'we'." I just had to interject right there. "Why not?" What would Loki do if he was not coming back to the guild with me? It did not matter. Loki _will_ come back to the guild with me, weather it is against his wishes or not.

"I have to leave again after three days." Loki looks upwards and squints in the sunlight that pours through the gaps in the foliage. I can not make out his eyes, so it is harder for me to read his emotions.

"Where will you go?" It is a half hearted question. Somewhere in my mind I believe that Loki is lying to me, so I can not bring myself to truly comprehend what was going on.

"It's personal stuff."

"Oh. I'm very sorry for attempting to invade your privacy."

Loki let out a small laugh. "That is so like them."

I could only tilt my head in wonder. I did not know who this 'them' was and I had no inkling about what Loki was speaking of. My head would start to pound if it did not get real answers soon. Loki seemed to be dodging certain questions, but it was in an artful way; each word was tactically said. Loki must have noticed me gazing at him strangely because he met my eyes and smirked.

"Believe it or not, you are a lot like them. Still, you're very different too." Loki was speaking mysteriously and, by the tone of his voice, I could tell that it was intentional. There had to be something to Loki's words that I had to figure out, like who 'them' was. All of these head-spinning conversations were making me sleepy. I was reminded again of the throbbing in my _alae. _The pain in my arms and legs started to turn into an unpleasant numbness.

"What are you talking about?" I had to force the words out of my mouth. "Please explain, Loki." Between all the answerless questions and the endless stream of new knowledge that just lead to more questions, I was starting to find it hard to keep myself concentrated.

"Like I said before, I know you aren't a mage." Loki leaned forwards and placed his elbows on the forest floor. He moved so that he was sprawled out on the floor but still facing me. "I know quite a few things, actually."

Honestly confused, I sputtered, "But how can you know? I-I was careful."

Loki looked apologetic now. It was hard to make out the emotions from his exhaustion but I could see that he was sorry to make me perplexed. I have never experienced such a large issue with no clear answer. It was driving my brain insane.

With a lower, sweeter tone, Loki spoke, "You didn't do anything wrong. You technically didn't do anything to expose yourself. If I didn't already know about your kind, I would never have guessed that you weren't a mage. Sure, I may have found it strange that you never call out your celestial spirits, but I wouldn't have doubted your mage status if I wasn't already in the know."

"S-So you know about Phoenix's? And _alae _and _ignis _and _The Regina_?" I was stammering now. It was somewhat annoying that I could not keep my voice straight but it was even more annoying to sit still and not ask my questions. My blood began to rush and my heartbeat sped up as the mysterious Loki led me farther into the labyrinth of questions.

"Sure I do. So do a bunch of others like me." Loki said slowly with a nod of his head. He seemed to believe that he was clearing things up for me, but I thought he was doing the exact opposite.

"You mean a lot of other mages know about Phoenix's?" That was crazy speaking. _The Regina _especially hated mages. How would she let anyone know about Phoenix's and survive? My heartbeat echoed in my ear and my palms became sweaty. The conversation could lead to things that I should not know. I have heard stories of people that go crazy from too much knowledge. I never anticipated that it might even be an option for my demise.

"Lucy, I never said I was a mage."

I choked, sputtered and then attempted to regain composure. It was impossible for Loki to not be a mage. Simply impossible! My mind rattled and reeled in thousands of different directions. I felt as if I was utterly lost in a sea of unknown knowledge.

"How can you not be a mage?" I asked in a tone that could be counted as a yell.

Loki shrugged, "You have your secrets, and I have mine. I'll tell you soon though. Especially since I know that, once I tell you, it won't matter if you tell anyone. Although I would prefer it if you didn't, it would no longer matter if you accidentally let it slip." Loki said it so calmly yet I couldn't help but freak out. My stomach churned and I felt jittery. I would not be able to sit on this forest floor for much longer. The large blob that had settled in my stomach made me feel somewhat sick.

"Please, Loki, can you explain some of this to me? I do not understand. Clarify, before I go insane. I feel so strange right now—not really right. Can you give me answers to calm my pounding head?"

Loki shook his head. In a soothing tone, he said, "Soon Lucy. Everything will work out before you know it and then you won't have to worry about being confused by me anymore. Just hold onto your questions a little longer. Two days. On the last day, before we return, I can answer your questions. Hold it in until then."

I took a large breath. Sorting out my thoughts carefully, I mulled a few things over and realized that there was only one thing that I urgently needed to ask Loki. "Would you be able to teach me how to be a celestial mage?" I realized the question was little random but it was really important to me. It was something I could do to keep occupied during my two days of waiting.

Loki's eyes widened a great length.

"I know," I continued, "that you are not a celestial mage yourself. Before, though, you brought up the point that someone would think it was weird that I do not summon my celestial spirits. I can not afford to have people doubting my mage status at all. I need to arm myself with as any mage skills and characteristics as possible. Not knowing something important is not an option. I know you might not know much, probably almost nothing, but—"

"I'll help. Later." Loki forced another smile. "Now, take a nap. We can rest here a little while before I start teaching you a thing or two." Loki quickly rested his head comfortably on the ground. He laid there, tense, until I could see his body relax and he looked truly glad to rest. The air around Loki seemed peaceful, serene.

I smiled. Joyful warmth spread through me. I moved to lie on the dirt floor and as soon as I set my head down, my body relaxed. I still felt pain but now it was overtaken by a sudden burst of the urge to sleep. I drifted off and thoughts of finally understanding celestial magic danced through my head. Maybe I would end up following in my mother's footsteps after all.

"Where do we start?" I asked Loki as I finished munching on a piece of bacon. Loki had graciously cooked a breakfast of bacon and eggs. I had no clue where he got the supplies but when I asked him he just said that it was better for me to not question him. I decided that he was probably right.

Loki wiped his mouth with his arm sleeve and dusted of his hands, sending small particles of dirt flying in the air. "I guess I have to explain to you the whole concept of a celestial key and stuff. No one ever told you what any of it was, right? I mean, I don't think anyone at the Phoenix court would even mention celestial mages."

I nodded. Loki hit the nail on the head.

"Okay"—Loki gave the area around us a quick scan—"let's walk and talk. There's no camp for us to pack up or set up later, so we're pretty free to roam around. As I explain, let's head to the next city over and browse around. I don't know about you, but staying for an extended period of time in the forest seems kind of unnecessary, especially for a lovely lady like you, Lucy."

There was nothing I could do but nod dumbly and roll my eyes at the last comment. Currently, I could say that I was at the mercy of Loki's suggestions since he protected me and was going to teach me about celestial magic.

As the two of us started to walk, Loki began to teach.

"First things first, I need to teach you about magic in general. You gotta know the basics before you can get the specifics, correct? There are two main categories of magic: Holder magic and Caster magic with a few different sub categories like Lost magic and Magic items. Caster magic is magic that is sent out from the body instead of through the use of a weapon or item. You know Gray's ice make magic? That's in the Caster magic category. Holder magic is magic that requires a mage to use a source other than their body, such as a weapon or figurine, to produce magic. Celestial magic is a form of Holder magic."

I raised my hand. Loki gave me a funny look but motioned for me to speak anyways.

"Why is Celestial magic a Holder magic?" In reality, I did not even know what Celestial magic did, but I was not going to tell Loki that.

Loki let out a long, drawn out sigh, "Because the Mage summons the magic from their Celestial keys and, instead of using their own magic to create something, a celestial spirit comes out from the keys and uses their powers to fight the opponent."

Again, all I could do was nod dumbly. I hung onto every word Loki said but I was only catching on at a very slow rate.

"Continuing," Loki went on. "Each type of magic has its own taboo. A taboo is sort of like a law or restriction on that magic type. If you break it, well, you disappear. So, it's a good idea to not break it. The Celestial taboo is to take over the body of your Celestial spirit using magic.

"Now, Celestial mages summon spirits that are living, breathing people. Pretty much. They aren't your slaves and when you summon one for the first time you must make a contract with them. A contract says which days the spirit can be summoned on. Most spirits are pretty good at keeping open times. Well, except Aquarius. She never says she isn't busy."

I raised my hand again, but did not wait for Loki to address me, "What's an Aquarius?"

Loki sputtered and blinked at me a few times. I found it hard to read the expression on his face. It was either 'Are you kidding me?' or 'You are driving me insane.'

I looked away from Loki and let him recover from whatever shock I had just put him through. I did not really understand what baffled him so much. All I had done was ask a question.

Shrugging it off, I sucked in a deep breath of fresh air. The wonderful scent of pine needles with the undertone of floral flowers practically took over my senses. The early morning sun, accompanied by the slightly chilly breeze that came whenever the sun was not fully raised, bathed my face in showers of beautiful serenity. The entire backdrop behind me practically begged at me to stop and stare at all of it.

But I could not. Loki decided that we were going to reach a town soon and I was not going to hinder out progress just so that I could stop and stare at the scenery.

Just then, Loki cleared his throat and my attention was thrown back towards him. "So, you weren't lying about not knowing who Aquarius is?"

I shook my head and averted my eyes downwards. Should I know who this Aquarius is? Loki made it sound like it.

"Okay, to tell you who Aquarius is I first have to start explaining what a Celestial key is and do," Loki says as he eyes the silver key ring attached to my waist. "Celestial keys are magical keys that Celestial mages use to summon Celestial spirits; I sort of already explained that. These Celestial keys are divided into two groups: the silver keys and the gold keys. The gold keys are all Celestial spirits of the Zodiac and the hardest to obtain because there are only 12 in the world. Silver Keys are Celestial spirits of other natures and therefore are a much broader group of spirits. You have two gold keys and one silver one on that key ring of yours, so you have two Zodiac keys and one key from the more basic group."

I grabbed my silver key chain and pulled it off of my waist. Holding it a short distance from my face, careful not to bring it too close because we were still walking and they could hit me in the face if I tripped a little bit, I studied the keys. It fascinated me. How I have held all of this mage power with me for so long and I never even knew? The thought made me bubble with excitement. For the past couple of years, I had been slightly connected to the Mage world that I so desperately longed to be a part of. It was like a miracle and a dream come true.

That was when I noticed the little markings on the top of each keys. I pulled it a little closer to inspect the little blue signs on the hilts of the keys. Each sign was different and Loki must have seen me looking at it because he had begun to explain.

"Those markings on top of each key are the indicators for what sort of spirit they are. The silver one has a marking like a harp or lyre on it. This key summons Lyra. The gold one that looks like its hilt has a 69 is the zodiac spirit Cancer. The last key, the one that looks like two fancy U's on top of each other, is Aquarius."

So, Aquarius is a Celestial spirit. From all the things that Loki has said about her, she does not seem to be very pleasant to be around. So far, Loki has made Aquarius sound like a cranky old lady. That thought made me shiver. Cranky old ladies remind me of _The Regina. _

I shook my head and discarded that thought as quickly as possible. I had to keep moving forward and not think about my past at the Phoenix court. Slowly and steadily, I was reaching new beginnings.

Ahead of me, if I squinted, I could see the beginnings of a town. The forest was thinning out slowly and Loki was staring intently at the keys that I was holding in my hands. I realized they were still hanging in front of my face and I must look odd like that. I set the keys back into my waist very slowly. I felt somewhat foolish for not paying attention to that. Many people at the Phoenix court had reprimanded me for my space-yness. I thought I had finally shaken that habit. Sometimes it was a nuisance when I was around other people and could get me into trouble; especially when I could not think or come up with a decision fast enough to get out of the trouble quickly.

"You see that town in the distance?" Loki asked as he pointed to the buildings that I had already noticed. "Hopefully, we can browse around for a little while, maybe see some entertainment, get some food, and then start heading back. I don't have enough money right now for a hotel, sorry about that. I feel sorry for making such a fine lady like you spend another night in the forest."

"It is alright, I do not mind at all," I told him as I waved his words away with a single gesture of my hand. He always seemed to add some sort of flirtatious sentence to the end of his statements. It was starting to become annoying.

"That's good. Lunch and dinner will be on me then. I don't suppose you have any money on you, huh, Lucy?"

A small flush of embarrassment crept onto my cheeks. "No. I'm sorry that I cannot pay for myself. I did not have time to get any money."

Now it was Loki's turn to wave away my words. "It's fine. Don't sweat it. I can cover tonight's food. Tomorrow, I can also buy us breakfast. Then we have to start heading back into Magnolia."

Sounded like a good plan. Nothing too strenuous would be going on which was fine by me. I was still vaguely aware of an ever present dull ache in one of the _alae_. I ignored it to the best of my ability but there was only so much that I could turn a blind eye to.

Silence covered Loki and I as we got closer and closer to the gates of the town. My heartbeat sped up and I could not help but feel giddy and fidgety. Since Marsha had died, I had not been to a town other than Magnolia. This new sense of adventure was exciting. It almost made me forget about the small stench emitting from my body because of the lack of bathing of the past few days. Honestly, I did not really trust to bathe when Loki was around. At least it was only for another couple of days.

There was a sign up ahead. It was in fairly good shape with only a little bit of paint peeling around the edges. The large, white and blue bubbled letters painted on the wooden sign labeled the town as Carronade Villa.

From our current position, I could already see the various houses, shops, and other buildings lined along the streets. The smell of vendor foods started to mix with the air and I could faintly make out the noisiness of the town. I could already tell that Carronade Villa was crowded and busy. The thought made me be in that much more of a hurry to reach another adventure.

"Lucy, you can slow down. The town will still be there if you take your time," Loki joked as he sped up his pace to match my quicker one. "Plus, I have to tell you something about the Celestial mage thing before we enter the town."

That grabbed my attention pretty quickly and I slowed down abruptly.

"Do not mention being a Celestial Mage in town. If we run into another Mage, they might ask questions that you don't know the answers to yet or, even worse, you might get challenged to a battle. Who knows what the nut jobs out there will do! Anyways, since we are sleeping in the forest tonight, I was thinking that I could try and teach you how to summon the celestial spirits. It might take awhile though, because you have _ignis _to deal with at the same time, so just be prepared for that."

Loki was going to teach me how to summon my Celestial spirits! My heart fluttered and I would have jumped for joy if my muscles were not all sore from sleeping on the forest and still being in recovery mode.

"Thank-you for the warning, Loki," I said politely, though somewhat stoically. It was the only way I could speak without screaming in excitement. This might qualify as one of my top ten days, right behind each of my five Fairy Tail visits.

With that, Loki gave me a pat on the head and picked up his speed. He went at such a fast pace that it could almost be counted as a jog. As swiftly as possible, I caught up with Loki and we hurried to Carronade Villa.

The two of us stood at the Carronade Villa sign. Behind the blue and white bubbled letters, colors of every other shade and type were painted on the towering buildings, sidewalks, and even on some of the people. It reminded me of carnivals that I had read about in books.

The thought of carnivals in books made me just as excited to experience it in reality. People always gorged on cotton candy and popcorn in the books; there was always exciting chatter and millions of things going on at once too. I was expecting to see a large, rainbow tent that housed a circus, just like the books described, but there was none in sight.

"You look like you have never seen a town before," Loki chuckled. I looked over and noticed how he had been watching my reaction this whole time instead of admiring the town.

"I must admit," Loki added on, "that this town is pretty special though. Five-Starred Mage Magazine rated it as a 'Top Five Must See Town.' Then again, they also rated it in 'Top Five Towns That is the Hardest to Complete a Job in'. From personal experience, I think it's a zoo. All it's missing is the zookeeper."

I only paid half my attention to Loki. My nerves had started to build up; my stomach churned and I could not muster up the strength to stand still. I fidgeted with my hair, my clothes and my nails, all the while wondering if I could really pull off going into a town that was so very exciting and fun-filled. Do I act differently than I normally do? Should I throw caution to the wind? How polite can I be without bordering on prude? Am I even dressed appropriately enough for an event such as this?

I heard Loki sigh. "I can already tell you're over analyzing this. Just be yourself. This town is really special because no one cares how weird you are. Now, let's get a move on. We can't sit and stare at the sign all day."

Case closed.

Loki took the first few steps and I abruptly joined him. There was no large gate signaling the entrance to the town and, after stepping just a few meters past the sign, I felt like I was in the center of a hurricane.

People raced past me from all sides. There was screaming, laughing, growling, and a little bit of crying. The colors made it hard to concentrate on one thing at a time and I grabbed onto Loki's green jacket. I felt if I let go of Loki then I would be lost in the sea of colors and people. I can not forget the smell either. Hot dogs and popcorn and pizza and chicken and cotton candy were the most prominent scents in the air. Each step I took seemed to be the gateway to a different smell from another food and every time I looked right or left, that food's vendor was just a few paces away. They all stood in front of buildings or shops and wore bright colored hats and aprons that advertised their products.

Ahead of me, maybe half a mile or so, there was a market place that seemed a little less crowded than this entrance. Loki seemed to be headed that way as other people turned either left or right down other streets or into shops. I personally could not see the appeal of all the sparkle, glitter and obnoxiously pink boutiques that began the street.

Some people were staring at me. They pointed at my _alae _and whispered behind their hands. Giggles escaped their mouths and I felt my face flush red. A few passers-by in the crowd gave me strange looks and never failed to notice my _alae. _So many people seemed to not even see my face; all they noticed were the large set of flying contraptions on my back. I felt like a freak. A very lost and overwhelmed freak.

Loki gave my hand a small pat. That was when I realized that I was clutching to his jacket for dear life. I did not let go but only loosened my grip a little. It was okay for me to relax a little bit because we were slowly approaching the smaller crowd.

We reached the market place quick enough, and I did not even ask if Loki knew what he was doing. I was too busy staring at all of the stall owners because, unlike at the beginning of Carronade Villa, there was no overload of color and I could concentrate on one thing at a time.

Each shop sold a different product and, even though these vendors did not wear aprons and hats, they each had a wooden stall that was artfully decorated and themed with whatever they sold. There were cute hat stalls and scarves stall, a few jewelry stalls, and more than a couple mage stalls. Every stall had a different colored sign on it that displayed its name and I was grateful that each shop seemed to only have one sign on it. Not plastered with junk like the first few.

I noticed that the people in this part of the town were a little less pushy. No one raced by me in a large hurry and, even though vendors were yelling advertisements in the air, there was no frantic urge to be loud and in a rush. Best of all, people did not seem to take a large interest in my _alae. _ This part of town seemed to just accept the fact that I was a little different instead of whispering about me behind my back and pointing rudely at me. This part of town was peaceful, homely, and welcoming.

"Are you enjoying it so far?" Loki asked. He artfully darted through the crowd, pulling me with him carefully. As we walked, he seemed to be only paying half his attention to the scenery and more focused on getting to a destination. Some of that focus was also being presently directed at me.

I shrugged. "It is…a lot at once, do you not think so? That first part of town was almost too much to keep track of. It is sort of panicking to have everything move so quickly. This part is much nicer."

"Agreed. I almost get a headache whenever I enter this place."

"You have been here before?" That had never crossed my mind. I had thought that Loki had heard of a village nearby before we left and randomly decided to go there. It never occurred to me that Loki might actually be acquainted with this place.

Now Loki shrugged, "I had a few jobs here. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find someone in that first half of town. Especially when they don't even want to be found."

"Alright. I will take your word for it." I had no real clue as to what Loki was speaking of. "So, where are we headed? You apparently know what you are doing. Care to fill me in?"

"I'll admit, I was sort of lying when I said we were only coming here to browse and waste time," Loki admitted. He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "We actually have a purpose for coming. Actually, two purposes. But let's just handle one thing at a time."

"What are the purposes?"

"One, to get you a new set of clothes; you've been wearing that red tank top and brown Capri's since Gray and I found you all that time ago. Not that you don't look beautiful! It's just that I thought you could use a less worn outfit. The tee shirt has some blood stains on it from you wings—but you call those _alae, _right?"

I glanced at my tank top. I had not taken notice of it before but the clothes were starting to smell. Not to mention the fact that I probably looked like a hobo that had just gotten into a street fight. My attire was less that suitable for public. Loki was completely correct in saying that I needed new clothes. Before now, I had no time to dwell on such trivial things like my outfit. I was too busy reigning in my questions about Loki.

"Two, I have decided that you need to have a close range defensive weapon. You won't be an S-class mage in two days, let's face the facts. Also, you won't be able to rely on your celestial spirits for everything. Sometimes you will have no choice but to figure out how to defend yourself."

The thought of learning self defense with a weapon both intrigued me and brought back unwanted memories. Training in self defense was not exactly a new thing for me. Neofore had spent a year of his time training me in both offence and defense so that I would succeed as I guard (and I know how that turned out). I did not remember much from those training days, just that they were long, brutal, and it would take more than two days for me to get back into top shape like I was then. It had been years since I had to perform any of those fighting techniques and I do not recall anything except for bits and pieces of each move.

The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to know what weapon I would use. Neofore always insisted I did not train with weapons other than a sword, so I had absolutely no knowledge on weaponry beyond my vague memories of sword fighting. This brought up the question—would I even be able to train with my broken _alae? _I decided not to mention it and see how everything worked out in the end. If my _alae _ended up hurting me too much, I could always ask Loki to stop the training.

Now I was getting pumped on starting training.

"Loki, what weapon would I use?" I questioned. I did not get a verbal response. Instead, I was answered with a sly grin before Loki grabbed my wrist and pulled me through the marketplace.

**A/N -This is late, but that's okay. I made myself write more of chapter 11 to make up for it. I must say, I'm super excited for chapter 11. I cannot wait for you guys to start getting into the real action. I want to see the response it get's!**

**On another note, I froze my face and butt off at Six Flags Fright Fest instead of updating yesterday.**


	6. Chapter 6

"**A man can stand a lot as long as he can stand himself. He can live without hope, without friends, without books, even without music, as long as he can listen to his own thoughts."- Axel Munthe**

**From this point on, all your opinions will be rejected!- Kurosaki Ichigo (Bleach)**

**Of all the words in the English language, the word "set" has the most defintions.**

**The fear of vegetables is called lachanophobia.**

Loki finally stopped moving. He released my wrist and the two of us were standing in front of a stall that was definitely large. It had a wooden counter that branched out onto the sides with shelves that were fully stocked of weapons that ranged from simple swords to contraptions that I did not know the name of. There was only one small sign at the top of the stand: Carronades Weapon Stop and Shop. Except for the midget-like man behind the counter of the Carronades Weapon Stop and Shop, the whole store was filled to the brim with weaponry.

The midget-like man sat on a stool behind the main counter. He had scruffy red hair and a warm, inviting smile that probably attracted customers from miles away. The midget man was also plump and wore a green and yellow stripped body suit that was accompanied by a long green overcoat. He reminded me of those small factory workers from a book I had read, _Willy Wonka_, or even those small, gold-loving little people called leprechauns.

"How are you young un's this fine mornin'? I hope the day has been treatin' you mighty fine," the man said in a high and extremely accented voice. He was loud, jolly, and held himself with an extreme amount of confidence that I could not—and never would be able to—match.

The upfront and too-kind stranger personality was too much for me to bear for a day that was already overwhelming. I took a small step behind Loki, using him as a human shield between me and the small man. Loki might have noticed my discomfort but he chose not to say anything about it.

"Hello, sir," Loki began. "I heard about you from a friend of mine. Erza from Fairy Tail? You might remember her. She says she loves your shop and—"

"Ah, Erza! That young lass is a sight to behold. She's gonna be a great one, that lass. Always knows what she wants and exactly how she wants it. She's somethin' of a different nature!" The short man continued to babble, "You know what she spoke 'bout to me? She spoke 'bout Fairy Tail and some girl that visits once a year. Leri? Lucky? Lopia? No, no. But it was definitely an 'L' name. Larry or Laxuz or Lucinda. Lucinda is a close one… Luca? Luce… Lucy! Lucy is that lass' name. Erza spoke nonstop about how happy she was 'bout that other lass' comin'. Said something 'bout it being refreshin' and such to have a sharp mind at the guild. Sharp as a tack, Erza spoke 'bout Lucy. Said I should be honored if she ever came stopping around my wee shoppie."

Erza said all of that about me? I flushed a little and moved further behind Loki, clasping his army-green jacket. The little man did not even know that he was complimenting me left and right while I stood right in front of him. My face felt warm and I was feeling overly self-conscious. I tried to divert my attention from the man and, sadly for me, my attention was brought straight onto the topic of my battered and bruised body. The pain in my _alae _had become more apparent again and I longed to have something done about it. Days, or maybe even weeks, old scratches and bruises that normally did not bring too much of my attention now demanded every ounce of attention I had. Pain burned all area of my skin, like patchy sunburns with no particular pattern or general area. I attempted to mask my pain. I did not want the shopkeeper asking me why I was hurt. Lying was part of on-the-spot thinking and therefore, my complete weakness.

"Sir, this here is Lucy," Loki stopped the man's rant and grabbed my wrist. Gently, Loki pulled me from behind him to his side. I did not look up, instead choosing to look down at my feet and let my hair fall into my face, blocking anyone from looking in at me and me from looking out. "And I'm Loki. We're from the guild you spoke about, Fairy Tail."

The little man was flabbergasted, "_The_ Lucy that Erza spoke about? Well, I'll be a pot of gold. Why didn't you tell this man sooner? It's quite nice to meet you, fine lassy! Good day to you as well, Loki. Why, if I had known you were the Lucy that Erza spoke so highly about…"

"That's okay, sir," Loki smiled, but I could see that he was getting annoyed with the man. I would too, if I was not so busy staring at my feet.

"Please, call me Riley. Rileyseed O'Ryan is my name. Been getting' called Riley since I started up this shoppie a mere three decades ago," the man, Riley, said.

"Could you be so kind as to help the beautiful Lucy here, find a suitable close-ranged weapon? Something light, maneuverable and pretty easy to use." Loki glanced at me as if he was making sure that those requirements were acceptable. I nodded. It all sounded pretty good to me. Easy, light and maneuverable were probably the only type of weapons I could ever use.

The memory of my training with swords raced through my head. I remembered the vast amount of silver swords with different hilts and silver or bronze-colored blades. Many of the swords were beyond my strength, even the beginner one. Neofore had ended up crafting me a wooden sword that had silver along the edges so that it cut efficiently. That sword was definitely not the most beautiful one out there but it was lighter than any other sword in the world and that made swinging it easier. Neofore had put me through many strength training but even after a year I had not built up enough strength to use a normal sword.

"Easy, light, maneuverable, easy, light, maneuverable and for an intelligent young lass like Lucy," Riley chanted to himself as he hopped off of his stool and began to browse through his shop.

Riley looked over each section weapons carefully. He waddled over towards the swords and searched for a few seconds before pulling out a long, wooden sword with a light red hilt that was adorned with blood red swirls and circles. Riley moved towards Loki and me, the wooden sword in hand as if he was going to give it to me but Loki stopped Riley in his tracks.

"Riley, sir, I think Lucy here could use a weapon that is a little less noticeable. Hopefully a little easier to conceal, too," Loki buttered up his rejection of the sword with reasons for a different weapon. A very diplomatic response that involved lots of sneaky thinking and consideration for the other person's feelings. I shot Loki a grateful glance anyways, sword-fighting reminded me too much of the Phoenix court days.

With a shrug of his shoulders, Riley set the sword down and hunted through the rest of the shop. Clearly in no hurry, Riley slowly sifted through the weaponry at a pace of a snail. It was frustrating how Riley was so peaceful and relaxed. It was something I could never achieve in a large town no matter how hard I tried.

Finally, Riley let out a small bubble of excitement. He pulled out a weapon but hid it behind his back as he walked over to Loki and me. With a satisfied smile, Riley revealed the weapon.

It was a whip, no longer than four feet. Brown in color, with a darker handle and small, chestnut colored latch on the hilt that kept it wound up in a circle, the whip seemed like it could blend in with a tree. The biggest problem was that I had no idea how to use it.

I looked up at Loki, searching for some sort of sign of his opinion on the situation. It was not what I thought it would be.

"That's perfect Riley! We'll take it," Loki glowed. I was unsure of whether it was because Loki actually liked the whip or he just wanted to get out of the store and away from Riley. I could not blame Loki if it was the latter.

Riley took one last look at the whip and handed it over to me. I took it carefully but it felt foreign in my hands. The handle was smooth and shiny, showing how new and unused the whip was while the actually whip was rough, almost scale-like. It reminded me of what a snake skin felt like.

"That will be 10,000 jewels," Riley held out his hand. My eyes widened drastically. I did not have any money! The Phoenix court did not have jewels and I had not had time to earn money here yet.

Loki eased my worries. He immediately set the 10,000 jewels in the man's hand.

"Oi, thanks lad. Come again, ya here? I would love to serve the sharp as a tack Lucy again. Remember this shop, lassie! Tell yer friends at that guild, Fairy Tail, about me!" Riley bid his farewell and immediately began to eye the 10,000 jewels greedily.

Loki grabbed my wrist and, once again, I was following him through the streets of Carronade Villa.

I had to admit, I felt somewhat guilty about letting Loki pay that 10,000 jewels. He had taken such good care of me so far and all I was doing was continuing to take. I would owe him a really fancy meal or something when I finally got some jewels.

Getting jewels meant getting a job at Fairy Tail! All guilt left me as the spark of hope ignited. I would soon be getting a real, true as true, Mage job. Even if it would not be today or tomorrow, I would get that job soon. My first real action as an independent person would take place in a matter of a week, hopefully.

"Time to start heading back into the forest," Loki said as he finished demolishing his lunch, a hot dog with everything. I could only nod in response. My mouth was full of my last chicken wing and I was busy savoring the unfamiliar yet delicious taste. It was a whole never flavor sensation compared to the overly fancy Phoenix court foods. Nothing there was ever considered less than a five star meal, even our snacks. After awhile, a person easily gets sick of such refined food.

It was only a few more minutes until Loki and I crossed the gates out of Carronade Villa and was walking back towards the forest. In one hand, Loki was holding a grocery bag full of what would later be dinner and, tomorrow, breakfast. The other hand contained extra gauze to wrap up my wings and a bag of water bottles. Eight water bottles, to be precise. I had thought it was excessive but Loki said it was better to be prepared.

My mind wandered as we walked. I had thrown away my other clothes a little while after the visit with Riley. Now, I was sporting a turquoise v-neck with a large, dipping back neck for my _alae_ and a pair of black shorts. My feet were snuggled in a pair of cheap flip flops that I specifically made sure were the cheapest so Loki would not be spending too much money. Gauze had been wrapped around my _alae_ a little while before lunch and most of my scratches had been cleaned and bandaged except for a few because we ran out of supplies before they were all covered. Last but not least, I had my new whip.

I glanced down at the whip sitting right next to the silver key ring. Both of these things would help me in my goal to become a mage. These items were just step one. Learning, mastering, and actually using those in a fight would be the next part.

"So, Lucy, how do you think this little, ah, vacation from Fairy Tail is going so far?" Loki asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I could only chuckle. "I guess it is pretty nice. There were quite few new experiences for me today, if that's what you are asking. Somehow, though, I do not think you can really qualify this as a vacation."

Somehow, I had managed to evade the thoughts of the mages at Fairy Tail fighting whatever was after me. I was brought back into reality by the fact that this exciting day was _not_ a vacation. It was actually supposed to put me in hiding so that the enemy would not find me. Guilt trickled through my mind. Any injuries and, _Regina _forbid, any deaths that might be occurring at Fairy Tail would all be because of that person after me. And what was I doing right now? Going off and getting new things, new experiences, and forgetting the grave situation we really were in. It was disgraceful to my comrades that I was not constantly thinking of them as they fought the battle whilst I sat here, safe and sound. The current serene and peacefulness I had now were all due to those mages fighting for me. I was ashamed that I had practically turned my back on the situation during my little adventure in the Carronade Villa.

"When we reach the woods and make a camp, I'll teach you a little bit of celestial magic," Loki said. In the distance, I could see the beginnings of the forest and thought back to when I was on the other side. When I was looking from Magnolia into the forest, there had not seemed to be a large gap between the foliage and the mountains.

I glanced over my shoulder, seeing the mountains and that was when I noticed how close Carronade Villa was to the beginning of the sloping earth. If the very edge of the town was even a few feet to the right, it would be on the mountains. Was I really so carefree right now that I had failed to notice such a detail?

My gaze was drawn to Loki. I knew, then, why I was so carefree. Loki was making me feel protected. It was like I could really trust him to protect me, even though we were only recently acquainted. When I thought more about Loki, I realized he was definitely in the 'friend' category. He reminded me of the type of friend that did anything for you and expected nothing in return, so you always felt indebted to that friend for their never-ending help and respect.

"Lucy? You're spacing out. Watch where you're going or else you're gonna trip," Loki called out. My path had started to swerve to the side and I straightened it so that I was once again walking in a straight line towards the mountains.

"I'm sorry about that, Loki."

"No worries, Luce. I'm just here to watch out for you." Loki flashed me a smile. I could not help but return one to him as well.

_I'm just here to watch out for you. _Loki was like my own knight in shining armor. That made my smile widen. A knight in shining armor would be my solid rock. To protect me whenever I needed it.

The smile stayed plastered to my face as Loki and I finally reached the forest. Immediately, the exotic smells of the forest hit my nose and I could feel the shade in the trees drop the temperature a few degrees. It was refreshing to be out of the beating sun. I had been squandering through it for long enough.

A few more feet into the forest and Loki decided that we were in a decent enough spot to camp. Immediately, I set my whole body onto the ground. My legs needed the break. The excitement from the day and adrenaline that had pumped through my veins was long gone. All I needed was rest.

That soon changed very quickly.

"Are you ready to start Celestial Magic training, Lucy?" Loki asked as he set the two bags down onto the ground. A water bottle slipped out of one of the bags and Loki slowly picked it up, setting it back into its spot in the carrier.

I had forgotten about the Celestial training. How could I do that? All previously lost adrenaline was back. The thought of being able to summon something from the current deadweight key ring I had on my waist was invigorating. Soon, I would stop lying about being a Mage.

Hopping up from my break, I felt a small pain shoot up from my _alae. _I sucked in a sharp breath but the pain did not last long. I quickly overpowered pain by thinking of mages, magic and Celestial spirits.

"Prepared to learn how to summon a spirit?" Loki asked, settling into teacher mode.

Maybe, at this time, it should have occurred to me that Loki should not know this much about Celestial magic. I did not really know what type of mage Loki was but I knew he was not a Celestial mage. So, was I really that excited to learn magic that I would not look at my surroundings? Was I that adrenaline-filled that I had stopped noticing small things about the people near me?

The shock to come later should not really have been a big surprise to me. It was though, thanks to my eagerness to get on with the learning of magic. But even back then I could tell Loki had something mysterious about him. Look at me! I am talking about Loki teaching me Celestial magic like it was years ago. It only took place a mere few weeks ago.

Those have been some long days.

The thought of the broken _alae _I had back then brought back a dull ache. I can not afford to think about that. I needed to stay in top shape. I may not be an advanced Celestial mage but I can still help the battle.

It would be nice if Loki could help with the battle too. I wish he was not so stubborn; he would have been able to fight the battle with me. Then again, if Loki was not stubborn, then I probably would not be here to fight the battle.

"Lucy, time to move out. You can write your story later! I want to read it as bad as you want to write it but now isn't the time."

"Coming, Levy."

"Why is it not working?" I asked Loki as I tried, once again, to summon Cancer. The Celestial spirit would not appear even though I had tried to do as Loki said: Envision a Celestial Spirit walking through a golden gate from their world into yours. Pour all of your heart into asking the Spirit to come out and help you. Take magic from your veins and use it as the key for the golden gate, the final part of the puzzle that will let the Celestial spirit come.

Loki examined me for a moment and then looked at the key. Deep in thought for a few moments, Loki seemed like he could have passed for either a professor or a knight in shining armor trying to think of a way to protect his charge.

"I have a theory"—Loki twisted the key in his hands—"and it has to do with you being a Phoenix."

I leaned closer to Loki and tensed my body. This theory could determine whether I will be fortunate or not so lucky. My ears were alert and ready to pick up whatever words Loki decided to speak.

"Since you are a Phoenix, you might have a different body structure from a normal human and even a mage. A mage pulls magic from within their bodies and uses it to either summon another spirit or use it on their own spell. Phoenixes don't pull out magic from their bodies. You pull out _ignis, _which is like fire that spreads throughout your body. This fire could be on a totally different caliber than magic, so it could either be stronger or considerably weaker than a mage's magic. With this in mind, I think we have to figure how to make your body use this _ignis _like it would magic."

It took me a few seconds to comprehend this. There was a lot of information in about a sixty seconds time frame. Even after it was all processed, I had to sit back and think for a few more seconds. I had not idea if it was even possible to use _ignis _in the way that magic was used.

"How can we do something like that?" I looked at my key. My eyes bore into the golden metal of Cancer's key. A part of my brain was hoping that staring at the key would give me answers. The logical part knew that just hoping got you nowhere in life.

Loki gave me no answer. He plopped himself down onto the forest floor and seemed to be miles away. I had that feeling that if I looked away from Loki he would disappear into whatever little world his mind had dragged him into. So I stared at Loki. Any other person would be uncomfortable with the stare but Loki was so preoccupied he probably forgot I was there. To keep myself from being useless while Loki brainstormed, I sat on the ground and tried to think up a few solutions as well.

Only a few answers ran through my head. All of which involved magic and control beyond my capabilities or doing things that I would rather never even admit thinking about. No matter what way my mind came up with, I could not think of a final answer. There were a few short term solutions, such as a device that could carry magic around with me but they would not last forever and who knew how reliable they would be. Relying on a device or machine for magic would be disastrous in a worst case scenario.

"Hey, Lucy," Loki spoke suddenly. His quick transition from deep-in-thought to a talking mood made me jump a little. "Can you tell me everything you can about _ignis?"_

"What do you define as 'everything'?"

"What does it feel like when you use it? Is it limited? How limited? What conditions make it hard to use? When do you feel more powerful? Are your _alae _connected to your ability to use _ignis _at all?" Loki probably would have gone on for another five minutes or longer but I had put up a hand to silence him.

I decided I could try and tell Loki whatever I knew. If it would get us closer to an answer, it was worth it.

"The people at Phoenix court always said that _ignis _comes from the blood of a Phoenix. A Phoenix waves their hands, says a charm, or wields a device and _ignis_ derives from the natural energy in their blood. _Ignis _can be invisible or visible, depending on the use. When _ignis _is chanted and put into an object, it is invisible. The _ignis _flows from the Phoenix's hands and straight into the object, creating the charm and never entering the air. _Ignis, _in other cases, is cast by the user using their index finger on their dominant hand to draw a symbol on their other hand. Seeing this type of usage is rare because there is no reason for it to be used at the Phoenix court—"

Loki cut in, "Do you know how to cast it?"

"I learned but it was years ago, so I only remember some of it. I never got the complete training. After one year I stopped and did the chanting style for my job. Either way, it is not a hard thing to learn, really. There are only twenty symbols to use. There can be countless combinations of these symbols, and each does something different but the basics are not hard. When you cast this type of _ignis_, it does not go straight into an object. Since it is normally used for battle, it is out in the open and has a shape and color. Depending on the symbol, it can be any color with the most common being orange and red, but, no matter the color, it looks like fire shooting from your hands."

I stopped talking for a second. My gaze fell onto Loki, who was staring at me intently. I could practically see the gears grinding in his head. After a few moments of silence, Loki noticed the lack of verbalization. He scooted a little closer to me and sat pretzel-style with his body arched forward as if he were going to tuck into a ball. His hands clasped in front of him, hanging limply.

"Do you know all of those twenty symbols, the ones that you draw on your hand and the _ignis _comes out of?" Loki's voice was portraying a deep longing for some more knowledge. This topic was mostly familiar to me, seeing as I had lived with _ignis _for five years, so Loki's eagerness to learn more was strange.

"I know ten of them. If I had trained another year, I would have learned the other ten. Those were the more advanced ones that required better, more advanced drawing on my hand."

"Does your hand get any marks on it when you draw with your finger or is it just you tracing over your palm with your finger and the outcome in nothing happening?"

"Small black marks appear as you trace across your palm." I can not help but stare down at my hands. "They'll fade once the spell has been cast and basically just serve as a pathway that tells the _ignis _what form to take."

"Can you name the ten you know?"

"Sure, I-I guess I could attempt." Considering it had been a few years since I had done this, it would be interesting to see what I could remember. "There is: Happiness, Rage, Despair, Excitement, Tiredness, Sickness, Sadness, Love, Confusion, and Strength."

Loki muttered to himself that he wished he had a notepad and paper before speaking up louder, "So the first ten are all emotions?"

I confirmed this with a nod.

"Do you have any idea what the second ten are?"

I scratched my elbow absentmindedly. "Not really. They are supposed to be a little more random than the first ten, not really put into one category like emotions." I waited for Loki to ask more question but he just sat there.

My mind would not let me just sit and think. All the talk about _ignis _brought back memories. The Phoenix court training was the most prominent, accompanied by the intensity, the emotions that ran through me during that time, and my younger, naïve self. I had no desire to even acknowledge my past, however young it still was, and no matter what I did to get away it always continued to haunt me. I tried to pull my thoughts away from the Phoenix court but the only result was me being entwined in a web of Phoenix court memories.

_"Take your right hand," Neofore instructed, "and point your index finger to the ceiling. Do not stare at me like I am a cow. Listen to my instructions and then follow them."_

_ My index finger pointed to the ceiling automatically. Neofore scared me more than I cared to admit and I had just met him yesterday. I didn't want to get on his bad side. His good side was bad enough. _

_ "Now, hold out your left palm. Flat! Flat! Do not curve it! What? Are your hands broken?" Neofore yelled. I cringed and flattened out my palm as straight as it would go. Neofore walked around me in a circle. I could feel his eyes watching my every breath. It was unnerving. _

_ Neofore stopped walking. I didn't dare to move any part of my body. The atmosphere was tense and I didn't like it one bit. It was weird enough for a barely fourteen-year-old girl to be alone in a room with a grown man; to be alone in a room with a grown man who did nothing more than stare (and bark orders) at you was bound to turn you jittery._

_ Neofore didn't look like he was going to speak anytime soon. For a distraction, my eyes trailed over the whole training room. The bright orange mats lining the walls and floor, the pumpkin colored door and the white ceiling did nothing to dampen an ever present ominous feeling. I wasn't sure if the feeling came from the trainer or the piles of swords and weaponry stacked in each individual corner of the room. Every weapon was either a sword or a bow and arrows. Everything looked sharp, shiny and untouched. _

_ My gaze slowly trailed to Neofore. I hadn't really had time to look him over yet, considering we met only hours before. The yellow cargo pants, beads, and muscled shirt he wore were the strangest sight to behold when it was matched with his dark mohawk and steely eyes. It reminded me of an animal trying to convince their prey that they wouldn't hurt aforementioned prey right before the animal pounced and went for the kill._

_ "Now focus on your index finger." Neofore's voice threw me away from my thoughts. "Use it to write the rage symbol on your left hand. Imagine fire coming from your index finger so that it will summon the _ignis_ from your other hand."_

_ I slowly lifted my index finger. Thoughts of warm, inviting flames spouting from my finger tip filled my head. Slowly, I drew the symbol for Rage on my hand — one vertical line, intersecting with two horizontal lines and a swirl in the upper right corner. A small gasp of shock escaped my lips. I didn't expect anything to show up on my hand but small black marks had appeared with each stroke of my finger. I couldn't feel the black marks at all. My eyes said they were there but every other sense in my body denied its existence. _

_ I finished drawing the Rage symbol. A blast of bloody orange ignis flared from my hand. It looked like I was holding fire but it didn't crackle and blow like real flames. The _ignis_ stayed with one solid, jagged form that looked like a picture of striking yet plain orange fire. I didn't know what to do next._

_ Neofore grunted in approval. "Good. Now, do you know the individual uses of each symbol?" I nodded. "Then show me what the use for Rage is."_

_ I imagined an animal made of _ignis_. I couldn't think of a clear animal though that's what the books told me was supposed to happen. _

_ The _ignis_ leapt from my hand and onto the ground next to me. Slowly, it folded into itself and become a tight ball of orange before unraveling at lightning speed. It grew in size and so many things were changing at once I couldn't fully comprehend what was happening. It was amazing, to me, that this transformation was completely silent._

_ The _ignis_ stopped moving. What used to be about two sizes bigger than my palm was now a bird that resembled a hawk. It stood at about seven feet tall and barely fit inside the room. The bird stared at me, its orange eyes unblinking._

_ "Lesson one, completed," Neofore stated as he gave me a small round of applause. I almost smiled. Neofore was being encouraging and maybe even a little kind but I knew I still had a long way to go. That thought held back my smile. Neofore couldn't be allowed to see me relishing in such a small victory._

_ I thought we were done but Neofore spoke up yet again, "Time for me to give you the verbal part of the lesson." He didn't seem excited. "This bird right here is the Phoenix Bird. It is a replication of our ancestor created by the blood and power that we inherited _from___our ancestors. These are referred to as our Familiars. Phoenix Birds are loyal to you and only you because you created them. Each time you perform Rage, it is the same Phoenix Bird. No one knows what happens to the Phoenix Birds when you dispel Rage so do not ask."_

_ I wasn't going to ask but I guess I probably should have thought about it._

_ "Never use Rage with any of the other first ten symbols. It will kill the Phoenix and cause your alae pain every time you fly." That thought made me flinch a little bit._

_ My eyes trailed to the Phoenix Bird. I gazed slowly over the pure orange feathers and stunning reality of the bird's existence. If it wasn't standing in a room full of orange, it would probably be the most attention-demanding thing in the room. I really wanted to touch it._

_ "Neofore, what happens if I touch it?" I questioned._

_ "Nothing, stupid." Neofore rolled his eyes. All of his previous kindness had gone out the window. "It is a real live bird that you can touch and feel until you dispel it. The only difference between this thing and a pet is that it shoots fire, does not crap everywhere, and you do not need to feed it."_

_ I just nodded. The bird tilted its head to the side and seemed to be analyzing me. This didn't bother me as much as when Neofore had stood and stared at me. I felt almost comfortable with the bird's company. _

_ Until Neofore clapped his hands really loudly and said, in an unnecessarily loud tone, "Time to go onto the next symbol. Dispel the Phoenix Bird and now we will learn Excitement."_

_ Considering I had never cast any real _ignis_ before today, it meant that I had never dispelled a written _ignis_ before. I read about it though, so I decided that my first attempt might as well be over and done with._

_ Both my hands were spread out in front of me, my palms facing up towards the ceiling. I imagined my _ignis_ being pulled back into my body, slowly leaving the Phoenix Bird and coming back to me. My eyes closed and I concentrated. A small rush filled my body. It was like all the blood I had was zooming through my arms and refilling up my body._

_ The feeling stopped. I opened my eyes and the Phoenix bird was gone. This time, I did crack a smile. The dispelling I had just completed left me exhilarated and ready to do more. The _ignis_ called at me to keep on casting it. _

I looked down at my hands. I had not summoned a Phoenix Bird in a really long time. The feeling of using the _ignis _written on my hand was one that had long disappeared. I have to admit, I do miss it. The thrill of summoning a Phoenix Bird was something I had tried to ignore for a long time, and succeeded in doing, until I remembered that day. The sensation was something I ached to feel again.

I thought about summoning a Phoenix Bird. The need to summon mine was becoming greater. Random tidbits about Gekido, the name I had given my Phoenix Bird, popped through my head. Gekido's best flying trick — a dive bomb and then soaring back into the sky and doing a back flip; Gekido's fire smelled like roses; Gekido was a female.

Somewhere, deep in my body, I swore I could feel Gekido asking me to summon her. I wanted to comply. There was no danger in me using Rage and summoning Gekido, so why was I holding back from doing so? Was there something I had forgotten about written _ignis? _Something that my subconscious self remembered and was trying to warn me about?

I felt ridiculous just thinking like that.

"Lucy, I have an idea!" Loki was standing now. He was smiling and struggling to stay still. "I think I know how to let you use magic, Lucy. I know how to let a pretty lady like you reach her full potential, just as she should."

Letting the pretty lady comment slide, I forced Gekido and written _ignis_ out of my mind. Maybe, once this was all over and I learned how to convert _ignis _into magic, I would summon my Phoenix Bird again. Right now I needed to concentrate on learning Celestial magic.

**Since I forgot to do this at the last chapter, and no one reviewed that chapter, thank you to FuzzyPeachz12, Fooster26, and dead-jade-eyes for reviewing chapter 4. **

**Big thanks to AzureElvyner for beta-ing all the chapter so far, even those that haven't been published. I've missed writing this so many times that I feel really bad. You do so much for this story! Without you this would all be a hot mess…**

**A/N- So, today was stressful. My brain was fried and the PS3 at my house is now broken. Sigh…. I debated putting this up, but I figured it was worth a shot. My updates are catching up with the pre-written chapters I have done, so when that inevitably happens, updates may end up being every 2 weeks. Who knows, though. I might decide not to put you through that and be a little more productive.**

**Since my PS3 is broken, I'll play a little bit of Wii this weekend…. Or maybe I should do my homework….**


	7. Chapter 7

**All men are prepared to accomplish the incredible if their ideals are threatened- Herman Hesse**

**Slaves would be tyrants were the chance theirs- Victor Hugo**

**It takes more calories to eat a piece of celery than the celery had to begin with.**

"I must say, Loki, I am confused," I admitted. My head had begun to show the early stages of a migraine when I tried to comprehend what Loki said.

"It's not too hard to understand, Lucy. I think you would learn better by doing it instead of hearing about it." Loki seemed convinced that I was a hands-on learner. I was not. I needed all my details ahead of time so that I knew exactly what I was doing. The feeling that I would be blindly going into this pretty much summed up hands-on learning for me.

"Would you please try and explain it one more time?" I tried to not plead. Pleading was for the weak. I needed to stay strong for my training, in both mind and body. Right now, that was pretty hard. My mind was in a mess from Loki's attempt at explaining how to turn _ignis _into magic. My body was feeling the affects of walking to, through, and back from Carronade Villa.

Loki sighed but his eyes sparkled with excitement. Obviously proud of his breakthrough, Loki did not sound the least bit tired from our adventures when he said, "I'll try to tell you the best I can. Follow along to the best of your ability. I think I was going about it the wrong way when I said we had to convert _ignis _into magic. When _ignis _is roughly translated, it means _power_ or _fire_. If we think about celestial magic, then you are asking to borrow the power of another person or spirit while using your own magic to bring them out.

"Now, the question is, how are they related? Well, one is pulling power from your body and the other is using power from others. It can't get any more opposite then that, but that's how I came up with an idea. You know everything in the world has traces of energy. If we could see energy, every plant, animal and person would have…blobs of it around them that vary in size."

I did not know every thing in the world had traces of energy. I did not know where Loki learned the translation of _ignis. _Needless to say, pile of questions for Loki grew even larger.

"Since magic could also be called a concentration of our energy, couldn't _ignis _be the same thing but with a different image in mind? What do you imagine when you cast _ignis?_"

Slightly startled that Loki broke off from his explanation to ask me a question, and somewhat annoyed that my concentration was broken, I sputtered out, "Fire going through my veins."

Loki grinned. It was infectious because I soon grinned too. The details of the explanation were not making a lot of sense to me, but I was getting the gist of it.

"That's perfect! Fire is a source of power. A different source of power than magic, especially celestial magic, but that's okay. Since fire is a natural element, it can be alongside other things pretty easily.

"Here's the part where you actually perform magic. I was thinking that if everything in the world has energy, and energy is power, which is the equivalent of magic then can't we pull energy from the things around us and use it for magic? Mages can control trees, water, air, fire, steel and even people using magic. There is no reason that these things can't be used to take energy from."

I gave a slow nod, comprehending as fast as I could. "You want me to use the things around me to take energy from and use it as magic."

There was a satisfied bob of the head from Loki. My blood was pumping now. I understood the concept and I was leaps and bounds closer to performing magic. It was a nice thought but I noticed the light in the forest around us dimming. The sun was setting and after that magic practice would have to cease. That left one more day of magic practicing and maybe even starting to learn my whip. The third day was for walking back and questioning Loki.

"There are a few risks though," Loki met my eyes. Everything became solemn and serious. "We don't know how your _ignis _will react with this intake of energy. It might not be compatible. It's like using a flashlight that needs two batteries. Both have to be compatible and working or else the flashlight doesn't work. Of course, the consequences might be a lot worse than just the spell not working. In this case, it might not matter that the two powers don't work together. Just putting them next to each other might be disastrous.

"Could I die?" I said slowly. The reality of how unknown this would be and the possible results were finally becoming known. The question was: would I be willing to take such a risk to learn magic?

"It's a possibility." Loki sounded so grave.

Everything sort of seemed futile at this point. I wondered why I did any of this. None of it was important. I was just hiding out while other people fought for me. If other people were willing to fight for me now, why could not they do it all the time? If my life was at risk just so that I could learn magic, which was supposed to be a form of defense, then there was no point in continuing.

But that was how I remembered all the reasons I left the Phoenix Court. I wanted to take risks and fight for myself. I wanted to not just hide out and let others fight for me. I wanted to come to a place were I could belong. I would not truly belong until I could cast magic as well.

My resolve was made. I straightened up my posture and tilted my chin higher. Something about my resolution made me a little stronger. A little piece of my body felt proud of making such a decision but the adrenaline of my resolve was a stronger feeling. Briefly, I noticed how often since leaving the Phoenix Court I was being hit with the rush of adrenaline. I really truly liked it.

"I want to do it, Loki."

Loki's eyes widened for a brief second but it quickly turned into an excited smile. "I can't wait to see you be at your best."

It was a heartwarming statement. Something I was not used to hearing. A small smile slowly drew its way across my face. Moments and statements like these were why I had come here.

Loki stood up and walked towards me. Offering his hand to help me up, I accepted. The sore parts of my body were crying out but I ignored it to the best of my ability. The broken _alae _on my back were currently just a small streak of an annoying itch, so I figured that it was a good sign.

As I dusted some of the dirt off of my new shirt and black shorts, Loki took a few steps backwards. He went into professor mode and I could not believe how ready I was to get started.

"Now, I would guess you want to picture pulling the energy from the trees and ground around you. I'm sort of guessing here, since this is the first time attempting it, but I would say that you should try and focus the energy to your hands. When you summon Cancer, let the energy go through your hands and into the key. Make sure you imagine the golden gate with the spirit coming out of it." Loki's smile widened, though I thought it was impossible, "Now, you go, girl!"

I giggled. That was a lame way to end, but it sort of put aside the small bundle of nerves collecting in my stomach.

Nerves aside, I did what Loki commanded. My mind zoned into my hands and I focused on the foliage around me. The trees, bushes and grass—I asked to use their energy and they complied. A steady stream of raw energy was collecting in my hands. It was strange. It was definitely a new feeling. There was a vibrant feel to the energy and it was as if I was pouring liquid sparkles into my body. My mouth felt like citrus and my nose was filled with the same smell.

All the while, I reflected on how foreign it felt. This energy was so different than _ignis. _I could not help but miss the warm flames of my original power.

That was when I realized I started to feel it. The _ignis _was trying to burst out and mingle with the nature's energy. Something inside of me knew that I could not let this happen. Already facing dangers by collecting this energy, I could not let even more variables come in. So, I fought back the _ignis._

It felt so wrong. I was pushing back the energy that was a close companion for a great deal of my life. The flames were trying to roar and join the vibrant liquid sparks but I had to tame them. Struggling, I concentrated on keeping the _ignis _locked down. My mind imagined locking away a flame and letting it slowly die down. At the same time, I could not let the flame die all the way. I had to keep a spark going.

My right hand held the Cancer key. After deeming I had enough energy from the plants around me, I held the key out in front of me. My body seemed to pulse with the energy collected inside of it.

Imagining a golden gate, I instinctively called out, "Cancer, I summon thee. Come out, please." The _please_ was a bit of an afterthought as I felt the energy in my hands transfer to the Celestial key. Every cell in my body was jumping in anticipation. As the borrowed energy circulated out of me, my hold on the _ignis _loosened, and so did the desire to let the fire free. Somewhere in my subconscious, my body had decided that it was okay for me to relax a little bit.

There was a brief flash of light. Everything was on pause. What seemed like an hour was just a few seconds. My eyes fluttered, once, twice. A figure stood in front of me, definitely not Loki. I quickly scanned over the figurine, deciding quickly that it was a strange half-crab half-human creature. Cancer, the celestial spirit.

"I've been waiting for you to summon me, _ebi_. It's been a while since I've seen air." Cancer flashed me a smile. I hesitantly returned the gesture, unsure of what I should do now. Cancer seemed to not have noticed. Instead, he peered behind me and took note of Loki.

"Loki." Cancer gave a nod of his head. "Long time no see. Nice to see you at least one more time before—"

"That's all right, you see me now, don't you?" Loki approached Cancer casually. "It really has been a long time. I have to say, it's comforting to see people we know. This forest is big and lonely. Although, not as lonely as it would be if I didn't have a beautiful lady like Lucy here with me."

I could only nod dumbly. I was still staring at Cancer. It seemed so impossible that I had summoned something like this myself. Impossible, yet I had done it. Slowly, I was overcoming my hurdles.

Loki chattered on, "I'm glad you figured out what to say on your own. I forgot to tell you what words to say when summoning a spirit, but I really shouldn't expect any less from Lucy. Everything went smoothly, and next time you can work on going a little faster. First thing, though, is getting a contract set up with Cancer. You do this by—"

Cancer held out a clawed hand, effectively stopping Loki's explanation. My eyes widened at the tremendously sharp scissors it held. "Lucy doesn't need to bother herself like that. I'm always ready to help, _ebi_."

Shaking myself out of the daze, I responded, "Thank-you, Cancer. I appreciate it very much."

"You still need to know how to make a contract with a spirit though." Loki raised his eyebrow in Cancer's directions. "It's not hard. The first time you summon a spirit you ask it what days you can summon and basically just ask for their permission and stuff. Nothing hard, especially after what you just did."

"Really? That's good." I sucked this information in rather easily; compared to earlier, this was nothing. I faced Cancer and gave him another, wider, smile. This time I was not an awestruck puppy.

"It's very nice to meet you for the first time, Cancer."

"Same. I've been waiting in the spirit world for a long time, _ebi_. You may want to summon Lyra soon. She has been getting restless these past few months."

I nodded confirmation. The thought of seeing another spirit was already exciting me.

"Lucy, Cancer, I think it's time we moved on. Lucy, you should send Cancer back now"—Loki was eyeing Cancer carefully—"as soon as possible. We need to keep moving forwards." I could not help but wonder how Loki knew Cancer and what he was so suspicious about. There could be bad blood between the two but Loki and Cancer just did not seem like the type of guys to let things like that happen.

"It's been such a long time since I have been out! Loki, _ebi_, could you at least grant me the honor of knowing how much time you have left? Aries has been… I mean, she's really sad and solemn. I tried giving her a new hairdo, but… Aries…" Cancer's voice was somber. Everything around us had suddenly turned serious as Cancer and Loki stared at each other. I tried not to move and kept my breathing as quiet as possible. This could be an important moment. I would not let myself ruin it by restricting their conversation.

_Invisible. _I had to think invisible and let Loki and Cancer think they were alone. The caring part of my mind was trying to let these two have this serious conversation so that they could get whatever it was other with. The curious part of my mind wanted me to be invisible so they would speak freely and I could learn something about Loki.

Loki seemed unaffected by the seriousness, however. He kept a light and airy tone as he spoke, "Not long. Day after tomorrow is probably the beginning of the end."

"Ah… Does Lucy—"

"She's going to find out right before I leave. Right now, we're focusing on training. When I'm not… When she's in trouble, she needs to be able to summon you guys." Loki was slowly getting quieter. "Will you do me one last favor, Cancer?"

"Whatever you need, _ebi_. It'll be my pleasure to help my friend for the last time. Anything reasonable and I can do it for you."

Staring at the ground, Loki whispered, "Tell Aries goodbye for me. Try to look out for her when I'm… When I can't be there anymore."

"Don't—"

"It's true and you know it, Cancer. We can't go against the Spir—the law. We can't go against the law. Just, please…"

"It'll be okay, _ebi_," Cancer soothed. "I'll do everything I can; you didn't even need to ask. Although, you might want to inform Lucy of this. I have to look out for her as well. Keep a crab's life simple and answer as many of her questions as possible."

"It's a promise," Loki concluded. "Until the last breath."

"Promise. Until the last breath."

I felt the weirdest urge to start clapping. Holding it back, I allowed myself to be 'visible' again as Loki and Cancer broke from their conversation and turned their attention back to me.

"Loki, what are you—" I puzzled, just to be cut off by the shaking of Loki's head. He was right, I suppose. The time for questions was not present yet. I just kept getting more eager for it to arrive, though. Answers seemed so far away.

Cancer sighed. "Lucy, it's time for you to send me back." He became a little louder now, more obnoxious. "Pleasure seeing you. I hope you call on me often and soon. Anytime you would like a haircut, call me too. I could do wonders with that beautiful hair on your head."

Recognizing that Cancer was correct—about sending him back, not the topic concerning my hair—I readied the key. The fading sunlight bounced off of the golden object and I had to squint as I looked at it. My eyes tried to ignore it and I got my body into a rigid stance, taking a deep breath—in and out—to calm myself. I had to concentrate, full focus, to do this.

I realized I had no clue what I was doing.

Feeling the heat rushing to my cheeks, I looked over at Loki and bit my lip. He raised his eyebrow in my direction and his forehead creased; a look of understanding spread across his face a few seconds later.

A light, sheepish chuckle led Loki into his explanation. "Just imagine sending Cancer back through the golden gate that he came from. I know you can do it. You just gotta try. A lot of this is guessing here, because of your situation with the magic and energy, but I would say that you should think about taking that magic back from Cancer."

My head bobbed up and down. This time, I knew what I needed to accomplish. I set my feet shoulder length apart and took in calm, slow breaths. The beating of my heart echoed through my ears.

_Cancer is standing in front of the open gate. He steps inside. All I need to do is close the gate. Close my eyes and concentrate. Slowly, ease the gate closed. It is shutting, almost closing. Almost there. The gate is so heavy, but I need to close it. _THUD_. The gate is closed. I feel lighter now. Free. _

I open my eyes. Anything was possible right now. My body had a whole bounce to it, and I cracked a grin. Giddiness fills my bones. Accomplishments just kept piling up today. If this continues to happen, my pride will be unbearable and thick.

Then I notice that Cancer is still standing there. My grin fades, and Loki seems to have grown taller. That pride I was worried about came crashing down. So have my hopes of quickly becoming a Mage.

"W-What did I do wrong?" I glance desperately from the key to Cancer. Bringing the gold key closer to my face, I inspect it for several seconds. Nothing was off about it. It was the same as it was before. So what did I do wrong? My feet carried me in a circle around Cancer. I inspect him. Besides being a walking human-crab thing, nothing was strange about him. An odd sound escapes my throat. I realized it was a groan.

Since when have I ever groaned before?

"Don't worry, it's all sort of a trial run. If anyone can do it, you can. Try again, this time imagine a mutual departing with Cancer. Wave goodbye or something, but don't force the gate shut on him. The main thing about gate closure for Celestial spirits is that it is a mutual agreement," Loki instructed. I chewed on my lip, not really sure if I was ready for more disappointment if I could not pull it off. Loki seemed confident that I could and he nudged his chin in Cancer's direction. Time for me to get on with it.

This time, I stood with my back to the sun. My eyes roamed from the Celestial key to the Celestial spirit. Cancer did not seem angry with me. All the crab did was flash me a smile and send the words of encouragement, "Just try again, _ebi_."

Not too confident, I nodded at Cancer. I would try but the results may vary greatly. _Breathe in, out, in, out. Shoulders apart, arms relaxed, and mind focused. Cancer and I are standing alone. He says he has to leave now, and that is okay. I wave goodbye and the pincher hand with the gleaming scissors waves back. Cancer steps into the gate and asks me to please close it. I do not want to keep him waiting. How do I close the gate? I ask for more energy from around me to come into me, and I feel the thrum of it in my veins. _Ignis_ burns through my stomach but its need to come out is not immediate. I hold it back and let the magic course through my veins and gently slide the gate closed. There is a small hooking of a latch, and the magic is no longer needed._

I crack open an eye, and then the other. Cancer no longer stands in front of me. I do not believe it for a few moments. Accusations of it being a fake ran through my head but I threw them to the side. The Celestial spirit gate was officially closed. I beamed. Glancing over at Loki, I wanted to see his reaction to my success. It was not what I thought it would be.

Instead of grinning madly or praising me, Loki's eyes were wide and he was gaping at me.

"Loki? What is it?" I inquired.

He shakes his head, but still looks at my suspiciously, "It's nothing… I… It just looked like… You might not believe it, but you looked like you were glowing."

"Glowing?" _When I said I was beaming, it was just a figure of speech_.

"Never mind now. It might just be the sun behind you. Or I'm going crazy. Either way, it's nothing now. Don't look like that, Lucy." Loki sauntered towards me and grabbed my hand. He gave it a small squeeze before letting go and stepping back. "It's been a long— Whoa."

Loki teetered to the side. His eyes flickered. His knees wobbled and he looked like he would collapse at any second. I rushed forward and grabbed his arm, steadying him out the best I could. When Loki stood straight, I forced him to sit down on the ground. He protested, saying that he was fine, but I knew better.

"You are not okay if you just fall while standing still." I grab a water bottle from the plastic bag and hand it to Loki, who takes it slowly and gives me a nod of thanks. "I am starting to think you really are crazy. First I seem like I am glowing, then you start falling out of nowhere. Next thing you know, you will start spouting weird things about my _alae."_

Taking a sip from the water bottle, Loki eyed my _alae. _"How is that broken one? You haven't really had time to rest it yet."

I had an urge to reach back and touch it but I resisted the best I could. Speaking of my _alae _brought back the dull pain in the right one, and it was something I was just starting to forget. Trying to ignore it, I looked up at the sky but that only reminded me of what I was missing out. The things I could not do until my _alae _healed, which, at this rate, would take forever.

"I am okay. I will survive." I sit down on the ground next to Loki, careful to tuck my knees under my butt so that my _alae _did not touch the ground.

Loki was silent, and so was I.

The silence left room for lots of thoughts. It left room for reflecting on everything that I had accomplished today and it left room for dreaming about the things I hoped to do tomorrow and the day after. I thought about how lucky I was—being this safe while the members of Fairy Tail were fighting a battle. Guilt eats at my sides but I know I would be no help in a battle. I will see the guild the day after tomorrow and, who knows, maybe the fighting was over. Maybe the guild was already on its way to fixing up itself and its members while they wait for me and Loki to come back.

_Not Loki and myself, _I corrected myself. _Just me. _

A small part of my body does not believe that, yet I knew it is inevitable. Loki was firm about his not coming back. The part of me that thinks Loki is coming back and staying in Fairy Tail was going to be crushed and disappointed later. I did not do anything to weaken that feeling. I really wished for Loki to return with me. If I hold onto hope long enough, Loki might be able to go back. At least, that was what I tried to tell myself no matter how futile I knew it was.

In an attempt to draw my mind off of Loki, I brought my mind to think about the fighting at Fairy Tail.

"Do you think they regret fighting right now? Fairy Tail, I mean," I asked. Loki glanced at me. I think his face was surprised but it was hard to tell in the retreating sunlight. As the sun sets, I realized we have not eaten dinner yet. Waiting for an answer, I get up to find something I can make for Loki and myself.

"No." Loki's sure voice causes me to glance back at him before I ruffle through the bag for some easy to make food. "Fairy Tail members don't regret fighting for their friends. Fairy Tail members _enjoy _fighting for the people they care about."

I pulled out a packet of hotdogs and stood up, walking back over to Loki. "But the members of Fairy Tail have only known me for a little while. They cannot be attached enough to me to consider me a friend worth fighting for."

"You'd be surprised." My gaze was once again brought to Loki, but I tore it away and settled for just listening to his voice as I searched for sticks. "Makarov, Natsu, Erza, Gray, Cana and everyone else at Fairy Tail considers you as practically part of the guild. When I first joined, I noticed that every time they spoke about you, a story came with it. Their faces would just light up as they told the story. They never forgot to mention how excited they were to see you again."

"I have only been going for about six years now. That is only six times, which means six stories."

A jolly laugh erupted from Loki. "Yeah, I know. I heard the same six stories more than a dozen times. There were several different views on a lot of them, so each time they told the stories, it came out a little differently from the last. I do have a question, though."

"Hm?" I called out as I picked up what I decided was my last stick and set the pile next to Loki.

"Did Happy really almost eat your hand once?"

"Yes. It was my second visit to Fairy Tail, actually. To say it surprised me was putting it lightly."

"That must have been exciting." Loki picked up two sticks and started rubbing them together, effectively creating a spark. He set the sticks on the ground and, together, we built up the fire slowly, blowing on it, fanning it and putting in more sticks until it was large enough to cook something.

I grabbed two of the pointier sticks and handed one to Loki who had opened the packet of hotdogs. We both stuck one on our stick and held it over the blazing fire, which seemed out of place in the mild, dark light.

Silence was back but not for long. Loki seemed to be full of questions tonight and even though he seemed weary, he did not purposely show it. I should have made him go to sleep but I was not tired and really enjoyed the company.

"Do you know who Lisanna is?" Loki asked, turning over his hotdog so that it was evenly cooked.

"I have heard her being mentioned around the guild a few times but I have never met her. I know she was Mirajane and Elfman's younger sister, but supposedly something happened to her before I came to the guild."

"Did you just assume she was dead?"

"Yes. What about you?"

"I only know as much as you."

"Interesting," I murmured, but it was more for the sake of just saying something.

"What about you?"

"What about me?" Glancing at Loki, I could only be suspicious. I did not look at him long because the cracking fire drew my eyes towards it and distracted my senses from the other things around me.

"Why haven't you already joined Fairy Tail? You could have gotten away from the Phoenix Court much sooner." Loki's hotdog was finished and he pulls it off the stick, finishing it in what looks like just two bites. It was only a matter of seconds before another one was on the stick and roasting over the fire.

I sighed. The reasons I had when I was thirteen seemed so foolish now and I wished I had joined Fairy Tail. I could not regret it now, though, and as much as I do not think it would be, it would have been impossible for me to join Fairy Tail back then. I tell Loki as much, and he snorts.

"Why would it have been impossible for you to join Fairy Tail? Because you know nothing about Celestial mages? You didn't know anything before this weekend but you still came to Fairy Tail again anyways."

"Circumstances change." I think of Marsha. Long gone, I no longer cry at her name. Just the occasional bittersweet memory comes up, and I cannot help but wonder what she would think of my life now. She was my age but acted like she was years older. I always thought it was okay because she had the knowledge to back it up.

"What circumstances?"

"I guess I wanted to know about being a Phoenix. Everyone close to me was gone and there was no one to teach me how to do anything. I could not learn how to summon _ignis,_ and when my _alae _came in, at fourteen, I would have been clueless. I needed guidance back then. The problem was that the Phoenix Court was not the guidance I was seeking."

"So, you got your guidance and now you are going to join Fairy Tail."

"Pretty much."

"Why did you hide your being a Phoenix?"

I sighed and lifted my hotdog from the fire, appetite gone. "I think it was how I grew up. Marsha and my mother, when she was alive, always told me to never reveal the fact that I was a Phoenix, and _The Regina _was the same way. It may have been instinct, or I might have just wanted to fit in. Who really remembers? Now, I have just one question for you."

"Shoot."

"Do you honestly think Fairy Tail could be my home?" I felt foolish for asking. The thought of just telling Loki to forget that I asked had crossed my mind but I held my ground. The question was out there, and just asking Loki to forget it would not make him really forget it. I just knew Loki liked to take his sweet time to answer the question and my feeling of foolishness slowly slid into concealed impatience.

Finally, Loki looks at me. It is total darkness now, so I could not really see him, though the fire tried to help, but I could feel his eyes on me. "What sort of question is that? Fairy Tail is already your home. They're just waiting for you to realize it as well. Only visiting it six times does not mean you are strange to them. A lot can happen in over six visits to Fairy Tail."

Boy, I knew that was true.

"You still question Fairy Tail being your home," Loki continues, "as they fight a battle in your name? No, Lucy. Fairy Tail has always been and always will be your home. You just need to be willing to let Fairy Tail take that responsibility. It won't be too hard on them; they are all big boys and girls. It's more of a matter of your will to trust them."

Thinking it over, I could not decide if Loki was right or not.

I did not get time to dwell on it longer because Loki continues on firing out questions. "Are you going to stay at Fairy Tail now? It has been a while, and going back to the Phoenix Court now would be…futile, I guess."

"My intention was to stay the whole time."

Through the flickering light of the fire, I saw Loki turn his head towards me. Following suit, the two of us locked eyes and sat, staring at each other for a long time. It was hard to make out any definite features on Loki's face, so, not knowing what to do, the corners of my lips turn up in a smile. Loki's own did too, and it seemed like we just had a moment then. My brain did not really know how to process that…

My hotdog had finished cooking so I pulled it close to me and blew on it for a few seconds. I tentatively took a few bites and, upon deciding that it was not that bad, continued to chomp away on it. By now, Loki had started his second one and was in the process of beginning to inhale it.

We finished eating relatively quickly and contented ourselves with sitting in front of the fire. It was relaxing and I could feel my shoulders slowly unraveling from their tense state.

Breathing in, I could smell the fire. It was a very attention-drawing scent, and I could not get enough of it. A combination of hickory wood and pine seemed to fill my nose and I took in deep, savory breaths of it. _This is how delightful things are supposed to smell._

There were rustlings from Loki, which broke my concentration from the fire. I looked over to notice him standing up and stretching out his arms. He let out a long yawn that I soon realized to be infectious. In a matter of seconds, the two of us were both deep in a long, drawn-out yawn.

"We have a long day tomorrow if we want to work on using your whip and practicing summoning more spirits." Loki was taking the cap off of the water bottle that I had handed him before. "It's time to turn in."

I had no objections. As Loki used the last of the water to put out the fire, I did not look forward to another night on the ground. Least to say, it was uncomfortable. Doing it again, I feared, might cause permanent strain to my back. However, it did not seem to really matter what would happen to my back. We had no where else to sleep so I did my best to think positively.

Brushing away leaves and twigs to get a relatively flat and smooth sleeping area, I felt the exhaustion creeping into my limbs. They felt heavy and suddenly, sleeping on the ground did not seem so bad anymore. The adrenaline I had been getting used to was feeding out of my system.

Loki walked over to me and, in a matter of seconds, we were both lying flat on the cleared out space. Knocked out the second our heads were down, there was no time to get into a comfortable position. I would definitely wake up feeling sore. How I would regret not finding a suitable position tomorrow.

Although, having a comfortable position could not prevent nightmares.

**So, I just thought of this, but I realized this story could be classified in 'arcs'. It will be. This is what I would call the Celestial magic/Introducing plot arc. It is probably mostly a flowy, easy themed arc. Later, the arcs aren't going to be as simple and probably more action-y.**

**Special thanks to Fooster26 for reviewing the last chapter. Your dedicated reviewing makes me smile!**

**Thanks to my beta, AzureElvyner, whom makes this story what it is. Without you, this would be a disaster and my motivation would have been gone before we even reached this point.**

**A/N- I am participating in NaNoWriMo, but I haven't written anything yet! Ahhhh, problems! Every time I get on the computer, I write more for this story. If it's a choice between NaNoWriMo or updating on time, I think I'd rather update on time. I hope some of you are participating!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."  
― Mahatma Gandhi **

**You live and learn. At any rate, you live."  
― Douglas Adams, _Mostly Harmless_**

**More money is spent on gardening than on any other hobby!**

**Men are 6 times more likely to be struck by lightning than women!**

There was no real reason for anything today. Loki and I went through all of the motions but something seemed to be missing. Every action felt empty. Every word felt wrong. The clothes on our backs seemed to fit awkwardly and I was uncomfortable to the extreme. All the injuries, both old and new, seemed to be fresh, _alae _included. Nothing registered in my mind correctly. I could not seem to force my body to get up and practice anything. Most of all, I felt dirty. My body was itching for a bath. There was little resistance met when I tried to pry the dirt off my skin, almost taking the skin away with it.

In the end, it all seemed futile. For the life of me, I could not explain why, but critically thinking seemed useless as well. So, Loki and I sat on the forest floor, staring blankly at the remnants of ash from last night's campfire. _Why had we made a campfire?_ I could not help but wonder. It was pointless to make a campfire. Just like everything else.

I sighed, followed up quickly by a yawn. When everything seemed pointless, everything seemed really boring as well. My body was restless, I wanted to do something, but I could not summon up enough energy to get up. Then again, there was no reason to get up and do something. Whatever I did would be pointless.

The real question was how had we reached this point? Just yesterday, Loki and I had sat next to the campfire, cooking hot dogs, chatting, and getting all excited about tomorrow, which was actually today. My mind recalled that, yesterday, I had wanted to learn how to use my whip. Yesterday, nothing seemed pointless.

"Anything you wanna do?" Loki questioned. I jumped a little bit, startled out of my thoughts, but shook my head.

"There is nothing to do. It does not seem like there is anything worth doing, you know?"

There was a small, slow nod from Loki as he answered, "Yeah. I know."

Silence took over again. There was nowhere to go, nowhere to be, and no-one to see. The forest seemed empty, which I knew had to be impossible. There were hundreds of animals that lived in forests. The animals probably stayed away because coming near me was futile. Like everything else.

Taking a guess, I would put money on the bet that Loki thought differently because he let out a long, drawn out and annoyed sigh before popping up from his seated position. I raised an eyebrow but did nothing. His sudden movement had not invoked anything inside of me.

"We're gonna do something today. Whether we want to or not, we're gonna get up and do it. C'mon Lucy, stand up! We're gonna start walking." Loki pointed his finger at me and tried to be encouraging but it really was more annoying than anything. When he grabbed my arm and tried to pull me up, I groaned. Loki persisted and eventually I complied. My muscles protested as I shakily balanced myself out and crossed my arms as I reached a weak center.

Loki could make me stand up, but he could not make me happy about it.

I knew that this was pouting, childish, and totally inappropriate, but in all honesty, I could not care less. Forcing me to do things I did not want to do would result in heavy backfire. To me at least, other people might just think I was being difficult.

"What do you think we are going to do?" I popped my hip out to the side. _Yes, rebellion did feel sort of good._

A small pause as Loki starts to pick up the two grocery bags, and then, "I was hoping to find that stream nearby. I don't know about you, but I think I'm starting to reek." He scrunched his nose.

"What stream?" My interest was starting to grow, "I did not know there was one nearby. How did you figure it out?" This whole time, Loki had been with me. There was no way he could have gone off to find a stream. I pursed my lips and my arms uncrossed unconsciously.

"Can't you hear it? It keeps me up at night, thinking about how much I have to pee."

"Why do you not just get up and pee?"

Loki dismissed the question with a wave of his hand. "None of you business. The real question is, how did you not hear the stream? Or maybe it's a river? I don't know. Can't really tell from here unless you were some sort of river expert. Which I'm not."

My attention was only half focused on Loki. Part of my brain was asking silent questions about Loki's bladder, the other straining my ears to listen for the stream. The pitter-patter of rushing water was faint, but still noticeable now that I knew what I was looking for. Without Loki pointing it out, I would have never known there was a river there.

"Come on, dear Lucy. To the stream river thing." Loki marched in the direction of the rushing water. Each step he took was exaggerated and Loki looked like a fool. The smile never left his face as I slowly gained one on mine. There was only a brief pause before I hurried to match Loki's pace.

Walking normally, there was silence between the two of us. The rushing water became a little louder and the trees were thinning out a little more. Lack of shade soon resulted in sweaty limbs. The feeling of uselessness was gone but sleepiness was beginning to set in. Cool water became a need instead of a luxury.

I was handed a water bottle, slightly warm, from Loki. The contents were gone and into my body within seconds. The empty bottle was passed back to Loki with a grateful smile. Relief rushed through my veins, short but welcomed greatly, before I had to start concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other. This did not last long and I returned to walking manually as my mind wandered. It went places that it has not seen in a long time.

_"Momma, why did we leave dere? I wiked it." I looked up at Momma but kept walking. Momma had said we were in a hurry, so I could not waste time. Marsha wasn't allowed to either. Then again, Momma had said those things yesterday so who could really tell if we were still in a hurry or if we had nowhere to go._

_ There was a soft squeeze on my hand. Momma met my eyes and the aching in my feet was gone. The sore muscles had disappeared. Only Momma, Marsha, and the road a head of me were still there. So perfect, only Momma could achieve this perfect thing. Only Momma made me forget about pain. _

_ "Oh, Lucy. I know you liked it. I am so sorry we had to go." Momma brushed a piece of hair from my eye. I smiled in thanks. Small buds of happiness were covering over all of my skin. "You will understand later, I promise. Marsha, I promise you too. Right now, it involves too many big words for you, okay?"_

_ I nod my head eagerly, and out of the corner of my eye I see Marsha do a slowed version of my action. She looks unsure. I watch Marsha for a few seconds, trying to figure out why. Is something wrong with Marsha? Can I help her? Marsha always helped me. The numerous times Marsha had gotten me out of chores was really high. It made me giddy just to think of it. Chores were horrible. My tongue was barely kept inside of my mouth as I scrunched my eyes up; disgusting chores! They should burn._

_ "Lucy, what are you doing?" Marsha puzzled. I recoiled a little bit and recovered in seconds. My brain is a little slower and, for a few seconds, I do not realize that Marsha is talking about my scrunched up face. Unscrunching of my face follows. _

_ On the other hand, Momma laughs lightly. I look back to her and grinned. Momma's laugh is so pretty and light, like those church bells we sometimes hear. The last town we were in didn't have any church bells. It was probably a good thing we were moving. Missing church bells for too long might be bad for my health._

_ The three of us walked in silence. I sort of want to ask Momma where we are going, but I can't muster up the courage. It seems like a forbidden fruit kind of question. Not good. I hate those questions. Always making things awkward, those questions do. Thoughts of previous forbidden fruit questions made me blush._

_ Deciding to skip the forbidden fruit question, I decided that I was really bored. "Momma, Marsha. I'm bo-ored. Can we do somedhing?"_

_ "Just keep walking," Marsha scoffed and rolled her eyes. I shrunk back a little. If I got Marsha too mad, she might start yelling. I hate yelling. Marsha doesn't get mad a lot, me neither, but when she does, she starts yelling. I despise it. (Look at my big words today! That makes six since breakfast.)_

_ A hush sound comes from Momma. Marsha meets her eyes for a second. I feel out of the loop. Their connection breaks, and Marsha is calmer. Whatever silent conversation they had obviously improved the mood. I can only wonder what they said._

_ "I think it is a good idea, Lucy. We should do something. What do you wish to do?" So gentle. Typical Momma. I love her so much! The realization of the hard task I have been chosen for is now upon me. What should we do? Momma wouldn't like it if we stopped walking just to play a game. _

_ Light bulbs go off in my head, "How about you sing a song Momma? The one about stubborn deople and outcasts. Please? Iz my favorite one."_

_ There is a small pause from Momma, but she tilts her head and nods anyways. I jump and clap loudly, glad Marsha is not commenting on anything. When Momma sings, everything just gets better. Proven fact unless you are Marsha. She's always so dull and responsible. The only one that can be responsible is Momma._

_Everything around me seems to stop as Momma sings, but I know we are walking. I feel it in my legs._

**"The Homeless don't find homes." **_Momma's voice isn't loud or strong. It's quiet, soft, wispy, yet pretty_. _My favorite part was having to strain to hear Momma sing. It's like she is telling me a secret._

** "The Outcasts don't find mercy,**

** The Stubborn don't find change,**

** Until the free find a home." **_At this part, Momma's eyes are always sparkly and shiny. It looks even prettier out here in the open sunlight. _

** "And walk away,**

** Bound to come back yet,**

** Yet the happy are not the Free,**

** And The Free are never happy." **

_My hands clapped enthusiastically. Nothing was better than moments like these. Everything was right. Not even a spec of darkness was in view. I looked to Marsha, and noticed that she was looking at Momma strangely. As if feeling my eyes on her, Marsha meets my gaze and looks away. I can't help but wonder why Marsha's eyes looked so cold._

The stream is calmer than I thought. Those rushing waves were not violent or even big, just fast. At this point, it would not matter if I was stepping into ten foot waves. Anything was better than nothing but I soon realized our problem. There was me, Loki, and no bathing suits. Was there a rational solution to this? Probably. Could I think of one? Not with the violent shade of red my face was turning.

"L-Loki, you do realize we cannot both go in there, right?" My words were caught halfway in my throat, but forced out nonetheless.

He nodded, and a coy grin spread across his face.

I was a darker shade of red now and my hands were fiddling absentmindedly with my t-shirt. "Loki, c-come on. How a-are…how are we supposed to do…this? Are you going to… hide in a bush? Behind a t-tree? Go back t-to the camp and w-wait?"

"Naw, Lucy! I'll just wait over that way." Loki jerked his thumb towards the general area behind him. "Don't worry, I'll have my back turned. Are you sure you'll be okay, though? Your face is a…alarming shade of red." A snicker escaped from his mouth.

By now, I was glaring at Loki. "F-Fine, just do not look, okay?"

"Uh huh."

"Okay?"

"Yes, yes." Loki walked closer to the condensed set of trees while giving me a small wave. Soon, all I could make out of him was the vague outline of his back. This did not reassure me at all and I bit my lip nervously. I was not used to this type of interaction. I mean, I should trust Loki not to look, right? He is my friend and he would never defile me. Still, I find it hard to get my body to start moving.

I fingered my shirt before pulling it off slowly, glancing in Loki's direction every few seconds. His body never turned around. Every move or fiddling gesture he made is recorded in my head.

Finally, I was slowly pulling off my pants. My body was uncomfortably exposed but I didn't stop. As I folded my pants neatly, I spotted a red dot. Blood. It was blood.

"Ah, no…!" I muttered as I started to pull on my pants.

All my articles of clothing were back on my body in record timing, and I was running over to Loki before my brain really registered what I was doing. Washing up was now forgotten. My needs have taken a big turn in another direction.

Leaves crunched under my feet. To hell with them! That crackling sound is annoying. Very much so. I was fuming over the stupid leaves as Loki turned around.

"Why aren't you taking a—"

"We are going back to Carronade Villa." I roughly grab Loki's arms and pulled him along towards the general directions of the Villa. Behind me, I was met with no resistance. Good. I'm not in the mood for defiant people.

There was a sputter from Loki. "Um, may I ask why, Lucy? We were just there. Do you need something?"  
My face flushed a dark red._ What Loki does not know cannot hurt him…right? _Movement ceases. There is a pause in my thinking, totally overcome with rash thoughts until I grabbed Loki's wrist and begin to walk again. My pace is brisk, and Loki is sent stumbling over the twigs and stupid leaves.

"I just remembered something I need to get," I forced out. My eyes were incapable of looking back at Loki. It was too much, and my side was starting to cramp up. The striking pain was akin to stabs with a knife. A butter knife, mind you, but still a knife. Parts of my body wanted me to sit down and rest, but I ignored it. Mission Impossible had begun. I needed my…_items_.

Loki was stumbling through the forest. Normally, I would've slowed down, let him catch up. However, now was survival of the fittest and Loki had better move that butt of his or I was leaving him behind.

"What…What are we doing…or getting from Carronad… Carron…Car— that town?" Loki blundered out between wheezes. I blatantly ignored him and continued my quest. Honestly, I had no real answer to give to Loki. Trying to explain what I needed…

The thought made my cheeks rosy.

Eventually, our pace slowed to a brisk walk. The death grip I held over Loki had disappeared and my hand was back by my side. My eyes stayed forwards. Concentration was directed on the slowly appearing village's outline in the distance. I inwardly cursed myself for not knowing what day it was. In every book and movie out there, the main character never had a problem like this in the middle of their journey.

Shouting seemed like an appropriate thing to start doing, but I knew it would be useless. No one would hear except Loki, and he couldn't do anything.

Useless male.

"Hey, Lucy," Loki called out. I met his eyes. "Why is there a red mark on the back of your pants?"

I immediately stopped moving. Frantically peeking over my shoulder, I confirmed what Loki said was true—there was indeed a red mark staining the back of my pants. Rage bubbled through my veins, and I was soon seething. These were new pants! I locked my jaw. Humiliation ran through my cheeks. A moment of recognition at how often I was becoming flustered became apparent in my mind, but I had to get over it.

Loki's question was set aside. Soon forgotten. My fists clenched and I was jogging, barely restraining a sprint. Scenarios of what else could go wrong played through my head. Thankfully, Carronade Villa's bubble-lettered sign was just up ahead, growing closer.

"Lucy," Loki broke my concentration.

I stopped moving and turned around, an expression of disbelief planted on my face. Did he not see that I was in a hurry?

"What is it?"

"What song are you singing?"

"I am not singing a song, Loki."

"You were. It was something about Outcasts, and free but not being happy…or at least, sorta like that. You were kind of mumbling it. It was a pretty song, though." Loki pursued his lips and looked at me for an answer. I could only shake my head.

Turning around, we continued our trek. A back portion of my head filed away Loki's question for later. My main focus could not be deterred. This was a mission, and I could not fail.

"Thank you, and have a nice day!" The pharmacist handed me my bag with a smile.

I received it gratefully, and darted of towards the nearest bathroom. It came to sight a few seconds later. This was all turning out okay, so far. I just couldn't get my body to relax. Not yet. Not until this task was finished.

In about three minutes flat, I was in a bathroom stall and done with all the things I needed to do. The new set of shorts I had bought had no red stains on them, for which I was grateful. Walking out of the stall, I felt kind of bad for throwing away those new pants so soon. Loki had spent money on them, and it would be a waste, but no one wanted to wear pants with a red blot on them.

Scratch that. Most people did not want to wear pants with red stains, but you do not know what types of loons are out there.

I swung open the door to the bathroom and made the familiar trip through the brightly lit aisles of the pharmacy. Silently, I marveled at how big it was. Medicines at the Phoenix Court were always made in a row of cramped and cluttered huts. It was not possible to get a hold of the medicine ourselves. A person would either have to call a doctor, who would then prescribe the medicine and later bring it themselves, or get a message to _The Regina. The Regina _would then look it over and decide if you were to be granted the medicine. It was a drawn out process. Suffice to say, I had just suffered through any sickness I had gotten.

The exit to the pharmacy appeared, and I was out in a flash. There were a few seconds of panicked loneliness when I could not locate Loki. It disappeared as fast as it had come when I saw the telltale orange hair and green army jacket.

I walked over to Loki, only to then stop short.

Standing next to him was a small cluster of three people, all bearing _alae _similar to mine. At least, that is what I first thought. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the _alae _were all tinted black. A quick glance at my back showed that this was not a normal occurrence. Neither was seeing Phoenix Court residents in public cities.

Why were they here? I did not know. I briefly wondered if they were looking for me, but why would they be talking to Loki? Crazy men with fully functional wings never equaled a good ending either way, so it did not matter what they wanted.

That still does not keep me from wondering. What if they were not crazy?

One of them, an older male with a Mohawk, raised his fist. This action caused a spurt of blue-ish purple flames to spark on the palm of his hand. I no longer had any doubts.

These people were definitely crazy.

My mind was churning, deciding whether I should start running for help or join the fray. The problem right now was more like my battle senses. While I knew how to fight, starting one is another ball game.

This was all just way too out of my league.

_That _was a bad pun.

Soon enough, I settled on staying back and watching how everything would play out. I just had to be casual. Normal. A surge of people walked idly past and I used them to try and blend in.

_Just Stay Casual._

It did not take too long before I figured out how hard it was to stay casual when three crazy people were about to potentially harm your friend that has just done everything to protect you, even allowing himself to be dragged randomly back to a town that they'd just recently been to.

The crowded section of town where this was currently taking place made it extremely hard to see what was going on. I darted around tourists and residents while peeking over shoulders as inconspicuously as possible. I, no doubt, looked like an idiot.

I could make out Loki's face, when it was not blocked by other pedestrians. He seemed relatively calm, which was reassuring and unbelievable. The small cluster around him was talking in normal tones, making it impossible to hear. Two of the three kept making large hand gestures, which Loki either replied to with a blank face or a '_you-better-stop-asking_' shake of his head.

My eyes, when they were not losing sight of the group, were trailing constantly back to the guy with the Mohawk. The weird fire had been extinguished, and his back had been turned to me for the majority of the time. The person—a broad shouldered and tall male—was wearing a set of faded cargo pants. These pants were probably once a vibrant color, maybe a bright yellow or orange, but they were torn and battered so terribly that it was hard to tell the difference between dirt and material. The shirt he wore was in the same condition. The only thing that seemed clean on him was his _alae. _

I could not shake the feeling that he was familiar.

Upon closer examination, but not much closer, I could see a tan line from where the man had once worn a bead necklace.

Ugh, man jewelry tan line…

The other person making large hand movements, a male with strange white hair and a body that would be attractive in a different situation, made a noise in frustration. A few passerby people gave them strange looks, but continued on their way. A breath of a sigh passed through me, and I realized that I was glad no one was rushing to figure out what was going on. Too many people might cause problems.

I had no idea what to do if anything went wrong.

Then again, I did not even know what will make this go right. I am not too sure about what was going on with anyone anymore.

The white haired man spread his _alae _wide then beats them once, twice, as if he is going to fly. He would not, right? Not in such a populated area. People would ask questions. _The Regina _would get mad, right? Wrong? I did not even know if anyone has attempted flying outside of the Phoenix Court before. Maybe the real question is whether or not these Phoenix were loyal to _The Regina. _

But I thought I was the only one to get out.

A small voice in the back of my head echoed with explanations, questions and incoherent things. _Maybe The Regina never told anyone that others had escaped. What happened to their wings? What if they were sick? _

My zoned-out state contributed to the psychotic mess that happened next.

There was a chorus of yells, of anger and frustration, before Loki sprinted through the crowd. At least, I assumed that was what happened. The orange hair was there, and then it was gone. The white-haired man and the Mohawk man started running, most likely in the direction Loki ran.

I could only watch.

My body did not want to move. I did not want to witness the inevitable fight. The inevitable question: will Loki win? Panic. Fear. Yes, lots of fear. _Ignis! _I could fight with that, but if they have _ignis _as well, it will be hopeless. Oh, so hopeless. I am not a good enough fighter. Those two men against Loki are such unfair odds but…

Two men? Where is the third person? I saw three people. The other one I did not see taking off after Loki. Did they see me? Will they come after me? My jaw trembled in rhythm with my knees.

Something wrenched me from the thoughts of despair. It was a person. Not a Phoenix Court member and not Loki. Just a normal person who shot me a dirty look as they continued to walk away; I rubbed my shoulder for a moment, not sure if I should thank the person or wish to apprehend them.

A pair of _alae. _They caught my eye. It was the third figure. The tinted black _alae _was the best giveaway. A light gray hoodie was shoved over their head, with slits in the back so as to allow the _alae_ to spread free. I could not make out any features other than the average height of the unknown third person.

I kept my eyes concentrated on this person. The unknown gender of said person scared me more than it should have. I might be able to take another female in a fight, but not a male. Especially not a male like the other two.

There was always _ignis _and even celestial magic, but the small gnawing in my gut told me it would not work. The gut was also telling me to run, but it was asking the impossible.

I straightened my shoulders and prepared to follow the third person, thinking they would start running like the other two. My surprise was not unexpected when my opponent started batting his _alae_ and slowly, with the normal grace of what seems to be endowed upon every Phoenix but me, the person was off the ground.

Overhead, they floated for a few seconds, surveying the crowd. I ducked my head while at the same time keeping an eye on the hooded Phoenix. It was an awkward feat, but I managed for those few seconds.

There was no pause when the person was done surveying. They shot off in the direction that the rest of the group went. No doubt Loki was at the head of them all. My feet were not so quick to react, and I was silently cursing my inability to fly as I started darting through the crowd.

I tried to keep my eyes on the flying Phoenix. It started out as a close chase, but I was losing ground. Other people on the streets shot me plenty of dirty looks and a few colorful words, which I forced myself to ignore. My laboring lungs deserved more attention than them.

We were rapidly reaching the edge of the town, except it was not the side Loki and I had come from. The streets were slowly becoming less crowded and less colored. The stalls were quickly fading into wooden shacks and the smell of vendor food was only just a trace in the air. It was being overcome by rotting wood and what I thought was tumbleweed. Somehow, through all of it, I felt sort of like I was in a wild western town.

It occurred to me, between the rushing of blood in my ears and the numbness in my legs, that the flying Phoenix could notice me at any second. All the person would have to do was look behind them. As they got further out of my reach, I knew being seen was becoming less of an issue than keeping up.

The flying Phoenix paused.

I followed suit, feeling grateful to stop running. My muscles screamed to sit down. My throat ached for water. The cells in my body fought for air. I had to ignore it all. My eyes watched as the hooded person landed, but there seemed to be spots all over the buildings. Flashy spots that reappeared every time I blinked.

"Why would you protect her?" the voice echoed through the deserted section of Carronade Villa. Through the haze in my mind, I knew it was not Loki. It had to have been one of the people chasing after him.

The hooded Phoenix I had been following took a few steps forwards before turning right down what I assumed was an alley.

My mind did not register that I was walking right away, but I soon figured out that I was actually following the person. It seemed to take forever, but not because I was tired. I just did not want to witness the fight. I was ready to leap into the fight, if need be, but a large portion of my lower body was screaming out that the other figures had just disappeared.

I reached the alley, and peeked around the corner with a tentative stretch. Loki stood, not backed against the wall but close enough, while the two men that chased him stood a few feet from him. The hooded one stayed back at the beginning of the alley.

It seemed like something out of a movie. A tad cliché, but still…

The Mohawk man threw a ball of his blue fire, barely missing the top of Loki's hair, before bellowing, "Answer me! You know as much as I do about Layla's life! You know about _The Regina Second's _wish, yet you still wish to stop it?"

Loki rubbed his glasses and set himself into a fighting stance.

The Mohawk man followed, quickly imitated by the white-haired one.

"You do not gain equality when you get freedom," Loki's voice rung solidly. "I knew what Layla wanted, and I knew what _The Regina Second _wanted too. It's not supposed to be achieved in this way. Holding a grudge—"

"I am not—" Mohawk man broke out of his fighting stance, but returned when Loki shook his head.

"Holding a grudge and then using freedom as an excuse to carry it out is not how they wanted it to be done. Lucy is to stay free, and alive. Happy. That's what they wanted. She is not supposed to be used—"

The scorch of midnight flames hit Loki before he could finish.

**Thanks to Azure Elvyner for betaing this chapter. You're a doll!**

**A/N- For all of you that watch/ read Soul Eater anime/manga, I have a oneshot out for that fandom. The reviews I got said it was funny, so I say confidently that you might like it.**


	9. Chapter 9

**To understand other you should get behind their eyes and walk down their spines- Rob Mckuen**

**There are two tragedies in life. One is not to get your heart's desire. The other is to get it. –George Bernard Shaw**

**The electric chair was invented by a dentist!**

**I made a mistake in the last chapter. The white haired man is supposed to be blonde haired. Oops, I am super sorry about that**

I screamed but I was not sure if the sound left my mouth. The whole world was silent. Loki made no movement, yet the flames crackled towards his face at a speed that reached miles unrecognizable. The sickly flame rippled in blue hues that scampered toward a purple finish. A disgusting type of beautiful that people can not decide if they want it framed or disposed.

Everything sped up. I did not know which happened first: the flame hitting Loki or my second scream. A scream that resounded off the walls of an alley I would never come near again after this day. If I survived. There was a flicker of resent, for myself, as I realized my shaking knees and silent screams were not for Loki. I was scared for myself; scared that if these Phoenixes turned around and realized that I was with Loki, they would come after me. I was scared that I would get hurt, even as I watched Loki reach a new temperature every second.

Something snapped—my sanity or some sort of new realization—and the flames extinguished. The Mohawk guy stood there with an attitude on his face. He locked his jaw and turned around to me.

I was stricken by his gleaming coal eyes. They were familiar and, upon closer inspection, I realized that Mohawk man was very, very familiar. His name escaped me, though, and I could not find any memory that involved a man with such a Mohawk. It did not seem to matter because Mohawk man seemed to know me. He stepped towards me, one foot, right, left, right. Each step brought along a slow unfolding of his _alae. _The majestic wings made me shrink in size as the Mohawk man stopped just a mere few feet away.

Although it was probably very wrong, I had to admit, the man's _alae _were much prettier than an average Phoenix Court resident's. Some part of my mind theorized that it had to do with the black tint and another part knew that the black tint was nothing near normal. Good or bad, this difference kept drawing my eye.

As the blonde-haired man moved beside his partner, a small upward curve of his mouth appeared. He would be considered attractive, the most attractive one here, except for a thin scar above his right eye angling diagonally up his forehead. Some girls might find that hot but I took one look at Loki and decided that I never wanted anything hot again. I was good with staying cool and cold.

There was a small—800,000,000 miles long—urge that was telling me to back up. Slowly, as if I was dealing with a bear or rabid moose, my foot tentatively moved back and connected with another leg. A small yelp rung through the alley and I wished it had not come from my mouth. I peered over my shoulder, noticing the hooded Phoenix from before. My path out of the alley was blocked.

My eyes went to Loki again. Every muscle of my body prayed that he would wake up. That his eyes would flutter open. I could not bear to look at him for too long but I forced a few more seconds. Blue welts were slowly rising onto his skin, but it was as if I could see them growing. Purple edged out from the bottom of the welts, looking like a rock on top of mutated grass.

I could bear to look no longer. Within the last moment of my glimpse, I had seen Loki's chest rise. It was slow. Barely there. The smallest movement a human could ever possibly make. It did not mean anyone was getting out alive, yet it had given me hope.

Out of my peripheral vision, I saw the blonde move. I spun around, meeting his eyes just in time to see _ignis _tumbling from the black markings etched on his hands. It barely grazed the ground before it erupted, sending a wave of black light over the entire alley.

My body contracted, feeling the sting of the blackness. Frostbite seemed to dance on my skin. The air around me thinned, sending less oxygen into my lungs with each gasp. There was nowhere for me to go, but I was calm. My body screamed out for the air it could not get, yet I stayed relaxed. A part of my brain, most likely half asleep, knew this was wrong. It fought against the calmness and my head begun to pound like a drum. Bum. Bum. Bum. Pound. Bum. Hit. Pound. Something unintelligible slipped out of my mouth.

Then, it was gone. My legs folded beneath me as I slumped to the ground. Every piece of my body trembled as my chest heaved and panted for breath. The calmness dissipated. I screamed internally for air, more air.

Mere seconds passed before I raised my head.

I almost wished I had not.

A bird, no smaller than two horses, perched itself in front of me. Sunlight bounced off of its black feathers and brought out their tinge of yellow and green. Red feathers adorned the top of its head and directed attention to a set of gold eyes that could only belong to a predator.

I scrambled to my feet, frantically trying to regain balance while never taking my eyes of the bird, if you could call it that. Extreme predator, black killing machine, anything of that sort could be the best title.

The golden eyes followed me as I slowly eased my way into a straight position. I took notice of the curving black beak the predator wore. The end of it was a sharp point, long enough to impale a man. Or me and Loki.

Loki. In the rush, I had momentarily forgotten about him. A quick onceover showed me that Loki had gotten to his knees. Another glance at his face made me fight to keep looking over. An eye was not visible underneath a dark swelling patch; the whole rest of his face was a peeling black; and he did not have a right ear. I had a second to be puzzled. There was no blood by where the ear should be. No real spot at all. It was as if it had just disappeared. His eyes met mine once and a single understanding passed between the two of us.

Survive first, everything else later.

Blonde haired man flapped his _alae _once. A small flash of wind rushed towards my face. I shivered, still haven't recovered from the black killing machine's appearance. The blonde man wasted no time and hopped onto his bird before raising an eyebrow. "Are you just going to watch? Honestly, slow motion. Call out your own. I am ready for action."

Call out your own?

I fumbled for something to say, "What are—"

"Careful, Sting," Mohawk man cut in, "no harming the girl, or yourself."

"Mah," The blonde man, Sting, shrugged it off. A dark glint reflected off of his eyes. "They just said no killing her, right? I can just rough her up a little."

"You have no boundaries."

"That's correct," the hooded figure came from behind me and stood near Mohawk man. "Eliminate the boy, that's all we need to do. Dealing with the girl is for another day."

Mohawk man nodded his confirmation.

"Fine," Sting gave in, but I saw the reluctance in his body. He wanted to seriously hurt me. Then, I registered it. Sting was going to kill Loki. I was worrying about myself and Sting was going to kill Loki! My body locked up but Sting finished talking. "I will make it quick, the guy is half dead anyway. There's no fun in an already won battle."

What do I do? What do I do? My head whipped back and forth searching for something, anything, to help me out. The corner of my eyes caught Loki raising himself onto a shaky pair of feet. A corner of my head registered the missing ear, and then his right shoulder seems to be missing some of its top. I tried to puzzle it out until my mind recalled something Sting said.

_Call out your own. _Call my own what? I racked my brain for an answer. If I could have only seen what Sting had done to call out that predator, maybe I could figure out what I was supposed to do. A few mental slaps lead to small, physical ones to the forehead. Whatever I could do to remember, I was trying it.

Upon Stings command, the killing machine beat its wings with one swift blow. A flurry of alley garbage and cold air hit my face, dazing me momentarily. My train of thought evaporated as my teeth began to chatter. It was hopeless. There was nothing I could do to save myself or Loki, who had gotten blow back to his knees.

Rage churned in the pit of my stomach. I was infuriated, yet again, at myself.

Something clicked. Something set off a light in my brain. My mind went over the last thought and I pieced it together. Rage. Rage was the sign for a Phoenix Court Familiar; that killing machine had to be a mutated Familiar.

Tossing aside thoughts of how that was just not possible, I braced my feet, digging my heels into the ground. Sting brought his bird into the air and it held the telltale signs of a nose diving attack. A killing blow. I had to act now.

Time slowed for the second time and I forced myself to calm down; to pull the _ignis _from my soul and bring it to my index finger. Thoughts of the thrum of my _ignis_, the crackle of its power surging into my fingertips, raced through my head. Giddiness followed and I used the feeling to strengthen my body. Taking my finger, I created Rage. It formed on my hand as a black picture faster than I could recall.

Shining _ignis _leapt from the mark and the sizzling ball sprung onto the pavement. There was a pause, and I worried that something had gone wrong, before the crackling continued. My tongue could taste the flames that flickered in the air. As the ball grew in size, my nose could smell the burning. It was not a stench, more like an air freshener on too high. Sting and his Familiar must have noticed the smell as well because one look to the sky showed the beast leveling out from a sky dive. I could not make out Sting's face but I had the overwhelming feeling that he was smiling.

Back on the ground, my Familiar convulsed. There was a small pulsing from the ball as it slowly unfurled. Nothing could drag my eyes away. A head was visible, complete with eyes of allegiance and a beak ready to be used. The body came soon after, accompanied by legs that scratched the ground with gleaming claws. There was no way that the claws of any beast should be so sharp and so welcoming at the same time.

A flame shot out from its back, molding its way into _alae. _The span of them was larger than me but the feathers seemed to radiate warmth. I was drawn closer, mechanically. There was a small upturn of my lips that slowly grew into a wide grin. It invigorated my blood. My veins were alive with power. The muscles in my body were ready for something, anything at all.

The Familiar let out a cry, one of power. It met my eyes. Red and orange seemed to dance behind those orbs, teasing the looker into a trance. That look told me exactly what to do. With no questions, I bobbed my head. Everything just started to make a lot of sense.

I took up a small running start and catapulted myself on top of the bird. It let out another cry and I joined in. The pure energy rushing through my veins could be held back. A beat of the _alae, _and then more in succession, brought us off the ground. We ascended quickly, a warm breeze attacking my face. All it did was release the laughter bubbling in my stomach.

My eyes trailed towards the ground. A piece of my body registered how high up we were but it was not a big deal. When healthy, I could fly this high on my own. With a partner, it was just so much more fun.

_And a lot less lonely. _

Another piece of my body told me that I should not be having fun. It was wrong that I enjoyed this so much. If I was trying to let go of my Phoenix Court nature, I should not be enjoying what I ran away from so desperately.

_I cannot help it. This is amazing._

Sting and his beast glided closer to me and my own. They stopped a few feet away—the length of two enemies ready to battle. Nothing was going to stop the inevitable, so I tightened my legs around my Familiar and tensed. Waiting.

"So you actually learned something from your teacher?" Sting raised an eyebrow. His smile reached his eyes but it was not a joyous smile. The man was waiting for blood to be shed.

The words meant nothing to me. Sting saw this, and a chuckle met the air. "He's not going to be happy that you forgot him."

"No one is happy to be forgotten," I remarked, just to say something but my words were laced with impatience. My body screamed for Sting to just start something.

"True, that."

The air exploded into a sea of fireworks.

My senses were cut off.

My eyes saw colors and movement but I could not make any sense of it.

My nose smelled burning. The repulsive kind of burning, like flesh over a fire but I could not place it.

My tongue tasted ash. From where? I wanted to know.

My ears heard the crackle of flames.

Energy seemed to pulsate around my skin. Leaping and crackling over me as I struggled to regain sense. The Familiar was ascending towards the ground—I could feel it. My short time in the air was almost over before I could do anything. Before I knew it, cool cement was felt amidst the confusion in my head.

Nothing could convince my body to move. With everything jumbled up inside my head, it did not matter. I was useless. Helpless. People may have been talking, or I could have imagined it.

Then there was clarity. A mere few seconds. My eyes had found Loki but it would have been better to keep them shut. The entire right half of his body had faded away, as if it had completely disappeared. There was no sign of it anywhere. The left half would have been better off gone as well, for no body should be that purple and blue.

Loki's body was slowly being turned into nothingness. His whole being seemed to be fading away. It must be how true mages die, I concluded. They turn into nothingness, without even a body left behind.

Only for a moment, Loki's eyes met mine.

And then I had been thrown back into a haze of senselessness.

_I was useless. _

I woke up.

I was groggy, dizzy, and my body felt as if it had been hacked to pieces by a chainsaw.

But I was alive.

I recognized this fact with hazy acceptance. It had to be a miracle.

Everything screamed at me to stay where I was but I forced myself to sit up and wipe my eyes. Finally able to make sense of some things, I searched for Loki. I was sure that if he had woken up before me then Loki would stay close until I woke up. He would not abandon me.

There was a jolt in my brain.

I remembered what I saw.

It meant Loki was gone. Dead. He disappeared before my very eyes.

My heart felt flooded with emotions, too many to convey. Tears welled up in my eyes before trailing their way down my cheeks. My body trembled; all the pain and aching increasing tenfold.

It was so hard to wrap my head around. Loki should not—could not—have disappeared like that. It was too easy, too simple. This was all a joke. Loki was stronger than that. If I survived, surely he did too.

But I knew what my eyes saw. Loki was dead before the blast was even over.

So, I cried. I choked on my own tears and wallowed in sadness. My breathing became labored and ragged. Blurry colors and mildly-muted sounds were distant.

For how long this went on, was anyone's guess but I had slowly started to settle into a strange, numb state. In the back of my mind, I knew all the pain, physical and mental, was still attacking my body. Plaguing my soul. Yet I could not bring my mind to actually feel it. I ached with no hurt and heaved dry sobs into my hands with little enthusiasm. It was not long before I sat back and stared.

I stared at nothing.

Again, my mind was aware of all the entities around me. I knew I was sitting in an alley, all alone, with the reek of garbage stinging my nose. I knew there should have at least been the smell of a decaying body which, while disgusting, would have at least given me some sort of closure. I knew all of those things but I felt like a newborn babe. Clueless, useless, and a mess.

Then, something glittered.

Just barely, it reflected the light of the setting sun. It was a brief, golden flash that I thought I had imagined. The flash led my eyes to a gold key lying on the ground. From where I was, the key seemed to call out to me

_Find me, _it said. _I am here._

It sounded strangely like Loki.

Through the ever present numb haze, I knew the key calling out to me, and sounding like Loki, was all just a delusion. A sad way for my mind to try and cope with reality. Instead of accepting the facts, I was trying to convince myself that Loki was still out there.

I forced myself to get up. One leg at a time, I shifted my weight until I was on my feet. The pain pushed and shoved at my broken mind, attempting to take over my mind. The numb state fought back, hard, and my brain felt like a battle field. Pain radiated from the core of my body and stabbed at my flesh. I was dizzy and I squeezed my eyes shut tight before opening them again in one big pop.

I saw stars.

After staggering back a few steps, it took a moment for me to regain my fragile footing. It would have been much easier to just sit down. Lay and rest for a little bit longer. Maybe never get up.

My knees were a mix of a brown color of dried blood and the crimson red of flowing blood. Black from the bricks mixed in with my knees, as if I was part of the streets. They looked so horrible, my knees. If I still felt like I could feel, I would have thrown up. Eventually, when my knees healed, assuming they would, there would be scar tissue covering the whole thing. Most likely, my knees will be a little deformed. It will be a reminder, I told myself, of everything that happened today.

With an empty heart, I lumbered towards the key. Each step was catalogued in my brain robotically, which made me feel oddly disconnected from the world. It was as if a string that had attached me to the world was wearing away.

But I felt connected to the key. A connection that had felt like sickly-sweet honey and sour apples at the same time—some sort of neutral energy that felt like it was lying on both sides of the extremes.

After what seemed like years later, I reached the key. I had taken a moment to stare down at it, marveling and wondering at the same time. The key was scratched and bruised. The natural gold of it was worn, as if it was very old. I did not know how the key could reflect a light so bright if it was in such a sorry state. There was something on the handle of the key, but anything beyond the general shape and color was only going to lead to guessing games.

My body felt compelled to bend over and pick the key up. Summoning the last ounces of willpower, I did so, but not without a toll. The simple act of bending over brought everything rushing to my head, causing me to cry out and collapse.

The sudden motion had brought all of my pains back to the front of my mind.

I was torn.

No part of my body was without a mark.

I was bloody.

Everything was red.

I was broken.

I tried to thrash, but I was too tired. All I could do was grit my teeth, close my eyes, and curl into myself while I held onto the key as if it was a life line.

The pain took over.

…..

"The lass' eyes are openin'! Justa wee bit, I tell ya, but— She's awake now. Come 'ere Mavis. You should talk to 'er."

"That's okay, Riley. Thank-you for allowing me to use your home to take care of her."

"It's no problem for a pretty lass like ya and Lucy. Will the lass be okay?"

"Yes. We'll be out within a couple of minutes. We don't want to be a bother."

"Ya aren't a bother, Mavis. It's a good thang Lucy will be okay. That's all I care 'bout."

"Poor Lucy; this is only the beginning."

"Best let 'er get 'er rest now then, aye. Ya mages always got stuff and such goin' on. Why, if I was half as busy as one of youse, I'd just let the world fall ta pieces, I would. All that fightin' to stay alive is a pain in the arse. I'm happy to just sell the weapons for ya'll to stay kickin'."

"Lucy, go back to sleep now. You'll be back at Fairy Tail soon."

_Fairy Tail? Oh… I hurt all over… Where is the key? _My hand tightened on something cold, and I relaxed. _Going back to sleep sounds very nice now._

I had not even wondered who Mavis was.

…..

I was back in the same room. The one that I had awoken in the first time I had been carried to Fairy Tail. (I was starting to see a pattern here…) It smelled disgustingly metallic, like too much dried blood. That may have been my fault though.

Erza stood at the foot of the bed, a bandage rapped around her head. Gray and Wendy were beside my bed, slightly banged up, staring at me intently while my head pounded more violently than a drum.

"Wha?" I gurgled out. My throat was scratchy and stiff. "Water?"

Wendy nodded and briskly left the room, returning only seconds later with a glass I chugged down in seconds. The cool water was a welcoming relief. To my throat, at least. The rest of my body was a field of needles and thorns.

All of us stood there for a moment, staring. I would have called it awkward but that did not seem like the right word. A weird mix of worry, awkward, and wonder floated through the air and resided on my friends' faces. I moved to speak, attempting to say anything that would have broken through that annoying mix of emotions but Erza beat me to it.

"Where's Loki?" Erza was quiet, but she had a sort of worried type of anger around her that did not need to be inferred.

The question had hung in the air for a second as I digested it.

Dark emotions swarmed my heart as momentary panic enveloped my brain. I struggled for a response. Should I lie? What do I say? _Loki is dead, I am so sorry. It is my entire fault because I ran away from the Phoenix Court and I cannot do mage magic. I am useless. I miss him. I am so sorry. _

What would Erza say to me? What about Gray? Wendy? Natsu, The Master, and Cana when they found out?

_ Why couldn't you do anything?_

_ Why'd you lie to us?_

_ You better leave Fairy Tail!_

The thoughts were merciless and infinitely horrible.

Tears leaked out of my eyes but it was no longer the barrage of water that I had shed before. Now, it was only leftovers. Only tears that had gotten left behind in the first round, escaping their place in my eyes so that I was left with quiet, dry sobs.

"Lucy, where is he?" Erza repeated her question. She whispered it and openly braced herself for the answer. Without hearing the answer, Erza knew. I could tell. She was looking for confirmation—she needed to hear it. Gray was the same, with a certain tense look in his eyes that made me look away. Wendy, though… Wendy looked so much more innocent. So open and unprepared. It took my despairing heart and twisted it until I felt like I could no longer breathe.

"He's dead," I choked out.

The three of them stared at me again, this time in disbelief.

Then Wendy started to cry. She leaned into Gray, who sat with a stone face and whose eyes watered but only shed a tear at a time. Erza stared away. I briefly saw the indescribable look on her face before she looked down, letting her red hair obscure her face like a shield from the world.

I had no more tears. I was left with empty despair and regret. If only I had been more helpful. Where had my thoughts gone during the battle? My knowledge of _ignis _could have done something. I could not think of what, but there must have been something.

Or I could have faced the fact that I was, indeed, useless. A Phoenix who was useless during battles and with _ignis_; a fake mage who had only used her magic once, with only decent results.

"What happened?" Gray asked, but his voice cracked near the end. I swallowed. I had hoped to avoid this question, possibly forever.

With a sniffle, I said, "We… The two of us here in a-a village…" My voice had broken and my throat had continued to kill. I had taken that as a chance to decide. Lie? Truth? Which one will go better? Which one can I bear to tell? "This group of people…m-mages… attacked us. They were s-strange… Strong, and could do r-really powerful things. They came out of nowhere, a platoon of them. L-Loki and I were so helpless. It was over so quickly… It was so horrible."

I had lied.

Erza's face was so broken, yet she wanted to know more, "Did they have wings?"

Wings? _Alae. _"Uh…n—yes. Yes, they did. They were black. Large."

"Where is his body?" That question had thrown me back. I did not think there was supposed to be a body. Was Loki not supposed to fade away as he did? It may have been a result of the strange _ignis_…

"The magic….it was too much. Loki was…obliterated."

Erza could not take it anymore. She turned around and marched out of the room. In the silence of the room, I could barely make out the sounds of Erza's quiet sobs.

A single tear grazed my face but I had run out after that. I was no longer graced with numbness. Only the pains of reality and burdens of how I lied. Wendy wept openly, which sent more arrows into my already pierced heart. Gray was no longer shedding any tears. He simply sat there, rage on his face. It was just as horrible.

It went on.

We were quiet for a long while but then Gray shifted. The movement, however small, had drawn the attention of my lying mind. "We should tell everyone else. Erza wouldn't have, and they need to know," Gray said, his voice deep and crackled.

Guilt forced me to simply nod.

Natsu chose that moment to walk into the room, with a grin on his face that melted away when he said, "What's wrong with Erza? Hey…what's going on? Lucy, where's Loki? Why are you guys crying? Is something wrong? I can fix it, don't worry about it! …What am I fixing again?"

"Natsu," I struggled to say, "I need you to help me out of bed. I need to tell the guild something."

"Can't I just pass on the message? I don't think you're supposed to get up. There's still a lot of bandage on you."

My lips cracked and I whispered, "No, I need to tell them myself."

Wendy's sobs echoed in the background, muted slightly by Gray's chest.

Gray's clenched fist and angry silence pounded loudly to my ears.

Erza's muffled sobs assaulted me.

It broke my heart, yet made me stronger at the same time.

_I had to do this._

**Thanks to Azure Elvyner for being my beta for this chapter.**

**Thanks to Ookami ice for reviewing…twice!**

**To Ookami Ice- I totally forgot about the whole flashlights and plastic bags thing. It didn't even cross my mind when I made it up. I guess they're just so common now that it's hard to imagine them not being there. Your second review, the one where you threaten jokingly about getting violent unless I update, made me laugh. I'm glad you sent it. It gave me some motivation to deal with my computer today **

**A/N- This chapter would have gone up earlier except I recently started watching the anime Black Butler A.K.A. Kuroshitsuji. I also tried to register my video game character in Dragon Age 2, which I still haven't figured out how to do. I think I'll go play some Dragon Age now, while I wait for this story to be received by the public. Must I say, the public doesn't like to review this story.**


	10. Chapter 10

"_You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else."_ -Albert Einstein.

"_Often the difference between a successful man and a failure is not one's better abilities or ideas, but the courage that one has to bet on his ideas, to take a calculated risk, and to act."_ – Maxwell Maltz.

The opposite sides of a dice cube always add up to seven

The original name for the butterfly was the 'flutterby'

Chapter 10

The first problem had been standing up. Natsu offered to carry me, but I automatically declined.It seemed wrong to accept help, like I had cheated. Instead, I slowly pushed myself off of the bed as my body screamed internal curses the whole time. I leaned on Natsu as my body trembled under me. I could have given out any second, just given up and lay back down, but I glanced at my friends with tears that ran down their faces.

That was what propelled me to move forward.

I still gripped that golden key in my hand and, one step at a time, I moved forward.A lot of my weight was on Natsu, but at least I moved with my own two feet.

As we made slow but steady progress out of the room, Natsu continued to glance back to Erza, Gray, and Wendy. He was confused, plain as that. I would have explained it, I probably should have, but I did not have enough strength to tell the story that many times.

I also needed Natsu to stay calm to help me down the stairs.

Right before we were out of the room, I saw Erza look up. She tried to wipe her eyes, yet could not erase the slight puffiness around her eyes. The look on her face had lost some of that blind depression. Instead it seemed to radiate bittersweet mourning.

The walk down the stairs took forever. A couple members of Fairy Tail passed, but I had only briefly registered them amidst the shooting pain.

Natsu tried to talk to me a few times. His voice was blocked out easily, though. My mind could not take conversation. The world had started to become too intense for me. The smells too strong, the colors so vivid they blurred.

Yet I walked.

Eventually, the end came.

Someone got me a chair; various other people asked if I was okay. My brain and my mouth were not connected as I collapsed onto the chair and breathed for a moment. The pain that raged slowly cleared up and I was able to comprehend again.

A swarm of people surrounded me, most likely every single person in Fairy Tail.

I blinked, startled, as I doubted my ability to actually do this.

Makarov pushed his way through the crowd, and stood in front of me. His age showed on his face and in his body. The way his body hunched over, the way his eyes seemed moist already. It seemed like he already knew I was about to tell a lie.

"Lucy, I know this is hard. I hate to do this to you, my child. You've been through a lot. You're in pain. You're hurt," Makarov's voice was apologetic, as if he was the one about to lie to his guild. "So much has happened, and you have so much to recover from that just thinking may hurt, but, I must ask one thing of you. Will you tell me what happened to Loki? Loki, my child that did not come home?"

I still held the golden key.

Squeezing it tightly, I told the lie. It flowed smoothly, and sounded exactly like the lie I had told Erza, Gray, and Wendy. The words were perfect, and, while the story was flawed, there was no one to contradict me. No one believed that I would lie. No one would know I lied unless I told them. I had even talked about how the body had disintegrated. Each word killed me a little more.

When I finished the lie, the entire guild was silent. They had been that way through the entire lie as well. I stared at their faces neutrally, all out of tears to cry and sadness to show.

I only felt guilt.

I could not move.

I was enveloped by guilt. It squeezed my lungs and punctured my skin. I could not breathe. Everything was so tight, too close, so densely packed together. I was going to explode. I panicked. It was overtaking me.

"We should not cry."

The voice came from right behind me. Female. Strong. Bittersweet.

Every single eye turned to Erza. She floated to my side and placed a hand on my shoulder

Our eyes met.

It saved me. The panic was not gone, simply shoved to the side, but it was enough. I could breathe again.

The golden key was warm against my palm.

Erza continued, and her voice spread through the whole guild like a warm blanket, "Every single on of us knew Loki. He wasn't weak. He was family. He laughed and fought and lived alongside every single one of us. Shouldn't we know him a little better than this? Loki didn't like tears. The guy was a player, not a sap. A pervert, too, if I'm telling the truth." This got a couple of dry chuckles.

"Since when did Loki ever let us worry over him, let alone cry for him? I bet he is looking down at all of us, right now, from heaven and shaking his head. He probably also has a couple of girls under his arms, and thinking about how many dates he is going to have for the rest of eternity, if I know him well enough. So, why do you cry when he is so much happier now than he would have been alive?

"Crying won't bring Loki back. All we can do is to remember him. Remember the things he has done and never forget. Now forgetting Loki is something to cry over. But we are Fairy Tail, and we won't _ever_ forget family." Erza's strong voice bounced off of the walls of the guild.

They were magical words. They did not wipe away the sadness, despair, or desolate emptiness that had consumed the guild. They did not evaporate my guilt or wounds. They certainly did not bring anyone back from the dead.

They simply made you a little more hopeful. Hopeful in the way that says today may be horrible, but tomorrow will definitely be better.

No one started smiling, laughing, and screaming. A jug of beer was not brought out and there was not a party, but instead a silence where everyone just seemed alive. It lasted about a minute, because large crowds in general do not stay quiet for long. People started to shuffle their feet and do that thing where they cough to pass the time.

A solemn Master wormed his way next to me. He squeezed my shoulder in a way that can only be called fatherly. "Thank you for coming home."

After that, the crowd started to break apart. My body was dead out of energy, and despite my claims that I was alright, Makarov made Natsu carry me up to the room again. The whole ordeal was met with weary shakes and nods of my head from me, and a poor Natsu trying to lighten everyone's mood that was still damp with shock.

Time began to pass. This was not odd, I guess. It was time for time to start passing normally. Everything beforehand had gone impossibly slow, so to balance it out, things passed in a blur.

Days merged together and became weeks. I was confined to the bed rather harshly. I got bored rather often, even though I got visitors every day, most of that was in large packs of people at once. Those times made me weary, but I got through it because the rest of the day was my thoughts, my secrets, and I.

There was a funeral for Loki, but I do not remember it too well. Wendy had gotten me so high on painkillers that I was pretty dopey. If I recall, there had been a pretty cherry blossom tree, and a lot of speeches that basically called Loki a pervert.

I was on the mend. Actually, I was practically healed, but Wendy would not let me out of the bed until I felt better that I had ever felt in my life. She claimed it was because she did not know what my 'wings' would do if they were stressed before they were healed. It took a lot of willpower for me to not correct her and say they were called _alae. _

The _alae _themselves had raised some questions. During a mass visit from the guild, I had gotten grilled on why I had them.

"They're so huge!" Natsu had exclaimed, "And you can fly! ZOOOOMMMM! We could kick some serious ass with those, Luce. You and Happy could tag team and pick 'em off like flies. Why wouldn't you have shown us before? We could've pulled some of the greatest pranks ever!"

"Well, uh…" I had nervously picked at the blanket and avoided Natsu's eyes as he listed off pranks with Happy, who suggested fish in each one. "You see, I just….thought they were weird."

Everyone that had visited me just stared.

And blinked.

And laughed. They laughed so with such vigor and carefree spirit that it was contagious.

From the crowd, Cana had yelled, "Lucy, you're a riot! Obviously you've never looked around you before. I mean, just look at us. Look at Natsu over there, plotting your next near death adventure."

I giggled as I asked, "What? What did I say? Come on, tell me."

Erza had been the first one to calm down, although she still grinned when she said, "Lucy, if you think wings are weird, you still have a lot to learn about Fairy Tail."

The _alae _topic had been dropped since then save for a few questions from Natsu. Erza had been right. There was a lot I had known, and a lot I still needed to know. The most important thing was probably about the jobs. I had no idea about the jobs request board, until Gray had explained it to me one day. He also said that when I got better, we definitely had to go on a job together.

I had agreed to that -mostly because I had no money- but the prospect worried me. I could definitely not pull out _ignis _anymore, and my mage magic was scratchy at best. Every day from the time I could start standing again, I would get out of bed when I was sure no one was coming to visit me. From there, I practiced mage magic with varying results.

Most of those results were complete failure. For the majority of the time, I could not summon any spirit. There were a few occasions on which I summoned Cancer, but sending him back was a big fiasco as well.

I had to pick a job where I could only use my whip.

I needed to get better soon, though. People kept spending jewels on me, bringing me food on the house everyday, letting me use their clothes, and basically getting me everything I needed free of charge. It would have been nice if I did not still feel so guilty.

Finally the day came, even though I had thought it never would.

Wendy had come into the room like normal to check my vitals. I was restless, and in between the entire "how are you questions," Wendy commented on how jumpy I was. When she finished, I thought she was just going to leave the room.

Instead, Wendy stood up, dusted off her dress, and said, "You're free."

I sat there dumbly for a second, waiting for Wendy to say "Never mind," or "Just kidding."

She did not.

A grin had crept its way across my face, and I stepped out of the bed in slow motion.

One toe, another toe, all of my toes, my foot, my leg, my other leg, my thighs, my hips, my torso, and my chest had all swept their way out of the bed. I had stood, on my own, and I did not have to lie back down until I chose to. No more solitary hours in boredom and no more maid service, which was both a plus and a minus.

"Thanks for everything, Wendy. I am grateful, honestly. You will never-"

"Just go down and see the rest of the guild," Wendy laughed as she waved me off and cut my thank-you speech short.

I flashed another grin and laced my voice with honesty. "Thank you."

Then I was out of the room. I jogged down the stairs as my stomach bubbled with emotions. Excitement -tinted with anxious coloring and the ever present dash of guilt- spread its way through my bloodstream. The smell of alcohol and spicy flames sneaked into my nose before I was even down the stairs.

"Lucy, you are finally free!" Cana yelled as she took a break from emptying her beer jug. That single yell caused every single head in the guild to look my way.

So I did that awkward wave thing you do when you cannot bring yourself to form words, but feel like you have to do something.

Disorganized mobbing occurred. Shouts and laughs and friendly pats on the back all happened at once until it seemed like everyone in the guild had said something to me. Gray had given me a weird man-hug, which squished my breasts awkwardly into my own ribcage. The mass crowd should have been expected, maybe even prepared for, but I could not deny that it was nice to have so many people surrounding me that _cared so much_.

It made my _alae _flutter ever so slightly.

"Now we have to go on a job, right?" Gray said. He grabbed my hand and gently tugged it towards the job request board. "There is one I picked out, and I think it'll be a good one. Flame Pee wants to come with, so we'll have to sneak out the back door."

Erza interfered sharply, "Gray, stand down! You're going to overwhelm her. Have some patience."

Gray listened, albeit clearly unhappy with even the idea of it. I squeezed the hand that was still intertwined with mine and shrugged my shoulders to say Do-not-worry-I-will-go-with-you-soon. Our hands broke apart.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Natsu starting to break his way through the crowd that had started to return to their previous activities. His pink hair stood out like a bruise, while Happy lounged on his shoulder.

As soon as Natsu had cleared most of the crowd, his face glowed with a smile as he raced up to me and started chattering. "Let's go on a job, Lucy! I know you said you'd go on one with Ice Hedgehog but it can wait! It'll be so fun for us to go on a job, with Happy of course! We should leave right now. Food money will be our hands before you know it!"

I tried to reply to Natsu, but it was hard to do when you only got to bask in your full recovery for a few minutes before life gets tough again.

SLAM!

The guild doors busted open, hitting the walls. A stray wind blew in, carrying with it the smell of the outdoors and something else.

Something familiar.

The cause of the busted doors stood in the door frame, looking left and right in a search for something. I could barely make out the shape besides the vague description of it being human.

With hesitance, the shape stepped into the light of Fairy Tail.

"Levy!" I screamed, recognizing her instantly. I pushed and shoved my way through guild mates as politely as I could. My movements were fueled by what felt like shots of caffeine coursing through my veins. It could have been a trick, especially because Levy said she did not want to leave the Phoenix Court all that time ago, but I wanted it to be real.

_ How did she get here?_

_ Did something happen?_

_ Does The Regina know?_

_ Is Levy okay?_

_ Oh, this is amazing._

I had never thought I would see Levy again but, as I finally reached her and encased her in a hug, I realized how much I had missed her. My mind had avoided it all this time, thinking it was too hurtful to think about a past that was left behind. It was, just the littlest bit, but there was so much content joy in me that those things had temporarily ceased to matter.

"I missed you, Levy! This is wonderful, amazing! I never thought I would see you again. How did you get here? Are you okay? Did anything happen? Why are you here?" I questioned endlessly in between telling Levy how much I missed her and burying my face into her shoulder.

Levy let out a sweet laugh, "I missed you too! We so need to catch up. There is so much for you to tell me, and a lot for you to hear. At least tracking you down was easy." Levy squeezed me a little tighter and set a smile onto her face.

I turned towards the guild, who had watched on in the sort of silence that was actually pretty loud, and said, "Hello everyone! This is a good friend of mine, Levy, and she…" I broke off. I did not know what Levy was to me in the past that I had fabricated for Fairy Tail.

"She is… uh… Well you see, Levy… is a girl, who has _al_… wings just like me… And she-"

"Hey Fairy Tail. I am Levy McGarden, Lucy's friend! I have to steal her from you for a little while. Sorry for the interruptions! Please expect us back soon. We will come back, so do not worry," Levy cheerfully greeted as she grabbed my wrist.

My body stood stationary, confused, with a blank stare directed at Levy. All of the urgent sugar rush feelings had gotten in the way of proper thought. It was like I was unable to sort words and their meanings. In the end, it did not matter because Levy tugged my wrist a little harder. My legs staggered uncertainly as the rest of my body lurched forwards in the general direction of Levy.

Before I knew it, Levy, who had a plastered smile on her face, had dragged me out of Fairy Tail and into the street.

The two of us stared at each other. A couple people passed by us, all of whom spared us brief glances. Everything in my head took its time to slowly turn from a muddled mess into a clear picture. When everything made sense again, I grabbed Levy by the shoulders and hugged her once again. Both of us giggled, but I also felt another sensation between us. The sensation seemed to be delight, which diffused in waves.

"This is all fine and dandy," Levy said as she stepped backwards, "but we should probably get out of the street. There are too many…people," her face scrunched up to show her discomfort before she masked it again. "Let's find a small restaurant or something." I was about to agree before I remembered. "That is a good idea and all, but I do not have any money. There has been too much going on, which I will have to tell you all about." I found Levy's hand with mine and began to look for a bench.

Levy untwined our hands and reached into a pocket of a pair of worse-for-wear brown capris, the exact ones worn in The Phoenix Court Charm Inscriber. In her hand she held a bag of money. By the looks of it, I assumed there was enough money for some drinks and a possible snack.

"This should be enough, right?" Levy shook the bag and began to saunter down the street in the direction that had the least amount of people.

I had to do a mini jog to catch Levy's head start. After I had caught up with her, I asked, "Where did you get all the money from?"

There was a quite big shrug on Levy's part. "Around. I did a few odd jobs on my way over here, if that is what you wanted to know. They paid well."

I let it drop and continued in silence. It was not a hard, awkward silence between two almost strangers that are both trying to say something but cannot think of anything. It was the silence of two old friends who wanted to revel in the other's company before they ate and started talking.

Levy stopped in her tracks and stared at a sign on a store.

"Are you sure we want to go in here?" I asked.

Levy nodded with finality. Behind her eyes, there was a small blimp of strong emotion that was implacable and most likely her will to go into the store. With a somewhat urgent voice, Levy tried to convince me to go in. "See how empty it is in there? It is the perfect place to go. It looks new as well, so, there is no reason why not. Trying different places is good, right? Plus, I could use some coffee." The last statement was tacked onto the end and resembled a completely different thought.

"When I had been with Marsha, she had said that an empty restaurant was empty for a reason," I threw that thought out there.

"When you were with Marsha, did you ever go to a coffee shop?" I shook my head, "There you go, then. Let's get a move on. If this is just because you do not want coffee, get a hot chocolate."

With a sigh, I filed behind Levy into the shop.

The aroma of coffee beans hit my nose like a brick wall. I jerked in surprise of the strong smell and tried to take smaller breaths.

Levy immediately made her way up to the register to place her order, beckoning me along with another strange amount of urgency. She gave of a feeling like she was on edge, but I wrote it off as a lot of excitement and went up to the counter as well.

It did not help that the man stood there was itching his back.

"Going to order?" The man asked. I was momentarily startled by his voice. I thought I had heard it before. Somewhere. That was not possible. The only place that could have been was the Phoenix Court and, even though I itched to know how Levy got out, I did not think this guy would have been able to find me.

That is, if he was looked for me, which was doubtable as well.

Levy fidgeted uncomfortably and met the man's eyes for a second. She shivered and took a hurried glance at the menu before ordering, "A medium vanilla espresso, no whip please." From there, Levy stepped away from the counter, probably farther than necessary.

The man scribbled this down on a piece of paper in silence.

I took another look at the menu before I said, "Just a hot chocolate, sir."

The man scowled and wrote it down before he turned his back to me. I decided it was my dismissal and went over to an area where Levy had taken a seat at a table. I thought it was strange that the man did not ask for any money. I had only ever paid upfront for something, so I assumed this was another weird thing about coffee shops.

I sat in the chair across from Levy, who tried to discreetly keep her eye on the man that had taken our orders. I would have said this was because she was infatuated with him, but her expression was too guarded for that. When I asked her why the man did not want money upfront, her body jumped in surprise, like she had not expected me to speak.

When Levy regained her guarded composure, she shrugged, "Strange, maybe it is on the house. That is fine with me."

The two of us watched the man make our drinks and, to be honest, it was comical.

Levy watched the man walk away vigilantly while I took a sip of my hot chocolate.

I immediately scrunched my face up in disgust and pushed the drink to the side.

_Never drinking that again._

Levy, on the other hand, had taken a few sips and seemed content with it. I waited for her to swallow a sip before I got down to business.

"Now, you need to tell me your whole story," I leaned forward, practically lying on the table.

And so, Levy told me her story.

**A/N this chapter is short….and late. I'm glad that you guys are bearing with me. Christmas is on its way. If you celebrate Hanukah, that's going on too. I hope you're having a good holiday. Everyone's talking about the Connecticut shooting. It's heartbreaking to hear about, so keep the families of the children in your prayers. **


	11. Chapter 11

**I really haven't had that exciting of a life. There are a lot of things I wish I would have done, instead of just sitting around and complaining about having a boring life. So I pretty much like to make it up. I'd rather tell a story about somebody else.**  
Kurt Cobain

If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.  
**Orson Welles**

**The Honey badger is listed in the Guiness book of world records as the "World's most Fearless Creature"**

Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour.

_And so, Levy told me her story._

She started with a bit of reluctance. "First of all when you left, the Regina was mad….yes, very mad. Furious."

Levy tried to suppress a shiver.

"She sent out a few search parties and brought in a bunch of people for questioning. Everyone who worked in The Charm Inscriber and even people you could have only seen twice were all brought in. All of the questioning was long … and tedious. People that didn't know anything were questioned for hours. A lot of people were getting antsy with the situation. I was called in numerous times before I left. They kept asking the same things: If I knew where you were, if I had any part in it, was I sending you any help. Of course, even after being called in multiple times, the Regina thought I was still hiding something. Right before bed time, she sent a note that ordered me to meet her in the throne room the next day. "

Guilt. Again. All of this occurred because I ran away.

Levy started to cave into herself. "I knew what would come. I knew all of the Regina's suspicions. So, I… I ran, I guess. It was during that night. It wasn't hard. Simple, really. I found you as fast as I could."

Levy's eyes started to glaze over as she remembered the events, her face contorted into terror. I didn't understand the look, since I didn't know exactly what Levy had to do to escape. It was better not to ask.

"Enough about me," Levy decided. Now her attention was more focused on me. "I want to hear your story, Lu-chan. Start from the beginning, and don't leave anything out."

I did just that. Levy heard the whole truth, which poured out of my mouth in a steady river. A small knot tugged in my stomach, and it made me feel like I should have said my made-up story. I saw no real reason to make my life even more complicated and told Levy everything as I ignored the knot.

At the part of my story where Loki was fighting the three strange Phoenix people before his death, the man gravitated a little too close to us. My voice was low, partially due to rogue tears, and while the man probably had the best intentions, I didn't want him to hear my secrets. I eyed him carefully from that point on, always making sure he was doing something to occupy himself.

When my story was finished, I expected to feel lighter, maybe even relieved. Instead, the knot in my stomach curled tighter and sunk down deeper. I wondered what made it so, but I was even more focused on Levy's reaction.

She was not frozen, exactly, but she looked to have gone cold. Her eyes darted from me to the man, even though his back was towards us. I could have sworn her hands shook the slightest bit, but when I was just about to speak up, the man briskly turned around and walked to our table. He picked up both of our cups -not even asking if we were done or acknowledging our presence- and power walked into a back room that was labeled "Employees" in sloppy cursive. This snapped Levy out of her reaction.

As soon as I was positive that the man was out of sight, I leaned forwards and whispered, "Levy, why do you keep looking at that man?"

Her eyes went blank, along with most of her facial features. This drastic attitude change made the knot squeeze tighter and made my body sit back.

"He is attractive, isn't he?" Levy said it as if it were a prepared excuse, with such a bland tone, such emotionless detachment, and even stiff posture. I blanched, hoping she was joking. There was no smirk on her lips or even relaxation in her posture, so I let my mouth fly.

"Since when do you go for older men? Actually, since when have you started scoping out men at all? You've always been so much more interested in books. On another note, just look at him. He can't dress. His back looks like it's stuffed with cotton, and face isn't exactly a basket of teddy bears." I crossed my arms in what I hoped to be a dramatic effect.

A door slammed, and the man was back in the room.

Levy chose that moment to get up, shoving back her chair and startling me in the process. She looked at the man only once more, her face as blank as possible. She then turned to me and said, "Let us do something fun, huh? We can go shopping. From what you told me, it sounds like you don't have anything of your own."

She was right, but the bipolar attitude thing she had going on had thrown me through a loop. I was speechless. My mind kept going back to Levy saying "_He is attractive._"That left me in a shock, and all of the bouncing emotions made me see stars. I peeked at the man behind the counter once again, wondering if he might have any clue what was going on. It was a ridiculous thought, but my mind was in a ridiculous state. The reek of coffee beans was probably going to my head.

Levy didn't wait for my answer. She shot out an arm and grabbed my wrist, which pulled me up from the chair with lightning speed and surprising strength. With another swift yank, Levy pulled me from the shop.

Levy followed up well on the whole shopping idea. We went to more than enough stores and bought enough clothes to last long past any reasonable length of time. I insisted that Levy let up on the spending after we went into a bookstore and Levy practically bought the entire place. She spent money on me against my insistence, saying that it was her money and she could do whatever she wanted with it. I went along, mostly because I really didn't have anything of my own.

I was able to shove the whole coffee shop experience out of my mind, at least for a little while.

The day passed by in a blur of clothes and laughter, ending with dinner in a semi-nice restaurant. Levy paid yet again, and I had grown used to the cold, withering stare she gave me every time I complained how much she was spending on me.

The next problem of the ending day was where to sleep. Levy had nowhere to go and though she insisted that she could rent a hotel room until she got somewhere more permanent, I dragged her to Fairy Tail. I had nowhere to sleep either, so this was not only for her good; it was for mine, too.

"Hello," I greeted as I gently eased the doors to Fairy Tail open. Every single eye shot to me, most of them bloodshot from booze. Natsu and Gray shot up out of their chairs and dashed my way, Happy following behind. For a moment, I got antsy. Levy had been filled in on all of my lies and we had fabricated her own, but there was still the omnipresent fact that one too many questions could be asked and something could slip. It made me cringe, but I had no time to bask in those feelings.

Natsu and Gray reached me. Happy desperately tried to catch up with Natsu while both Natsu and Gray tried to talk at once.

"Lucy," Gray started.

"Where were you-"

"Let's go on a job."

"Who's your friend?"

"You hungry?"

"Let's pull a prank; I got an idea,"

"Shuddup, Flame Piss. I'm talking to-"

"Aye," Happy threw in, just to add to the noise.

Master, in all of his good timing glory, chose that moment to intervene. He pushed his way past the two boys, taking a moment to smack both of them on the back of the knees. This blow sent them toppling forwards, momentarily stationed on the floor. They scrambled up and shot each other death glares, but made no more advances at the other.

"Welcome back, Lucy, and her friend. I believe your name was Levy, yes?" Master didn't wait for Levy to answer. "No matter; can you two come with me? Yes, let's go. I will show you to your lodgings." Master started walking quickly, with Levy and I practically tripping over ourselves to keep up. There was something weird about the Master's tone. He talked faster than normal, almost nervously, and he struggled to maintain composure.

"They are only temporary, you see? They are on the house for only for a few days. You'll need to take jobs so you can get your own places, children. If Levy plans to stay and join our family, we'll have to make arrangements for that. Lucy, you yourself still need the guild's stamp, no? Yes, yes."

We finally reached the real destination: Master's office.

Master relaxed a little bit more, yet when I looked at Levy, she was wound up tightly. Tense. I absentmindedly fiddled with my celestial keys, noticing briefly that I kept going back to the dinged up key that had been found at Loki's death. Never once had I tried using it, for I feared that something I did not want to see would come out of the key. Admittedly, I was curious.

_If Lucy had looked closer, she would've noticed that the key had gotten a little shinier. At this point, it wasn't extremely noticeable yet._

We were ushered into Master's office, where he hurriedly slammed the door behind us. Even I knew this was out of character for Master. My mind clamored into overdrive, spitting out possible reasons for this. Did Master find out about my lies? Who I really was? Who Levy was? Or did he uncover something that Fairy Tail members couldn't know, and since Levy and I were not official members, he was going to tell us? **(** Both sat and stared in silence.

"These are for you," Master broke the silence. He procured two objects from a locked drawer in his desk, and placed them in front of us to examine. One object was a crisp white envelope with a scorch mark in the lower right corner. It was labeled "Levy" in blocky, concise print press letters, and Levy stared at it apprehensively.

The other object was a mud-stained, weather worn book that had a cover that looked like it was woven with startling red feathers. They were robin feathers, I concluded, not wanting to even consider the fact that they could have been phoenix feathers. The book reeked of dumpster, which ripped open old wounds. It was bound shut with worn leather, and had the words _A Deligati Ad Libertas _poorly stitched into it.

Master nudged the letter towards Levy. "You should take this with you. It was on my desk when I got here this morning, along with an open window and scattered papers. Of course, I didn't know a Levy then, so you're lucky I believe in destiny."

Levy snatched up the letter and held it in her hands, staring.

"I think now would be a good time for you to head to your room," Master said to Levy. "Go back to the dining hall and ask Erza to bring you to the dormitories. I just need Lucy here to fill out some official paperwork and such. Boring things, you know?"

In a daze, Levy stood and left the room, making no acknowledgement to either of us. Master stayed quiet until her footsteps had faded. I waited anxiously, the smell of alcohol wafting from the dining hall throwing me off balance.

Master got down to business. "You are Layla's daughter, aren't you? You're a Heartfilia."

I gasped. Had I even told Fairy Tail my last name before? I couldn't remember. I didn't think so.

"I'm not trying to startle you; child, but this may be a bit much. You'll probably need to brace yourself."

There was a moment's pause, which my mind seized as an opportunity to start digesting information.

Master gave the book a glance before running a hand over it. "This book is special, you see. Your mother wrote it, along with the help of a dear friend. The contents, I fear are not something that should see the light of day. Though, Layla was pure and she had good intentions. They wished to save the whole word at once. Your mother was admirable, child, but she bit off more than she could chew."

I stared at the book, shocked. It didn't seem like much -definitely worn and once beautiful- but it didn't look like it held dark contents.

"I am sure you want to know everything," Master stated, "so I'll tell you all I know. No use in keeping you in the dark, but you must be warned… things are about to get serious. Throwing you into the fire like this is cruel. The appearance of this book changes things, though."

"Tell me," I blurted, and then looked down in shame. This sort of outburst would get me nowhere.

"Raise your head, child. That's good. Now, where to start… The first thing you must know is about your mother's partner in crime. She was a good woman as well, and she held a political position above your mother's that helped their situation. Her title was _the Regina's Second, _but her name was July."

My mother had never mentioned such a person. I scrunched my eyebrows as I listened, trying to wrap my head around the fact that my mother had kept such a thing from me. That is, if Master was indeed telling the truth.

"July was the _Regina's _younger sister, and she and your mother grew up in the Phoenix Court together. Close your mouth, child, you'll catch bugs like that. Good. So, the two of them were Guards in the Phoenix Court; a hard job, I hear. Until one day when July and Layla witnessed a cruel injustice. What it was, I don't know. They wouldn't tell me.

"After that day, July and Layla began to be… cynical about the Phoenix Court. It grew to the point where they wanted freedom for all of the members of the Court from the _Regina's _rule. From there, they got a small group together, known as _A Deligati Ad Libertas. _This group all had the same goal. To achieve it, they created this book." Master pushed to book towards me.

I picked the book up, caressing it carefully. Curiosity pushed me to look inside, but wariness pulled me back.

"This group dabbled in a cross of magic between Phoenix Court _ignis _and mage magic. Layla had gotten hold of celestial keys by then, and was working on mastering them. Inside the book are spells and rituals that they created. There are even experiments that they believed would help them free the Phoenix Court from the _Regina's _rule._ A Deligati Ad Libertas _did not know what the consequences of their experiments would be, and one turned out disastrous. It killed several of their group members and the rest were banished from the Phoenix court, Layla and July included. Of course the _Regina_ was angry. Especially because her own sister betrayed her."

A small rage bubble formed inside my chest. My mother lied to me. She never told me the real reasons she was banished, she never told her turbulent past. I suffered consequences of it my entire life, always being on the run.

"The group broke apart, and Layla and July lost contact with them. It is suspected that the remaining group members died from effects of the experiment. Layla and July, along with the book, found their way to Fairy Tail, where I had just become master. I was told their story and, being naïve, offered the two of them a place to stay, hidden away from the rest of the guild. Don't take that the wrong way, I don't regret it, but thinking back it probably wasn't a smart move to let strangers with a turbulent past stay so easily."

Master was quiet for a moment, recalling the past. "It doesn't matter now, anyways… Ahem, going on, July was pregnant at the time, and she got sick soon after. It was a side effect of the experiment, along with blackened wings."

The rogue Phoenix's wings! I kept this to myself, not sure what Makarov knew and did not know. If at all possible, I wanted to extract as many people as possible from getting hurt. They wanted me alive, but not everyone else.

"The pregnancy went fine, and the baby was born a girl. July… July succumbed to the sickness a week after her baby was born. It was heartbreaking. The baby's name was… Macy? No, Molly, or… Marsha."

I recoiled in astonishment. I had never thought Marsha's past collided with my mother's. Had Marsha known before she died?

"Not a day later, Layla fell ill and this very book was stolen from her hands. She left the next day, taking Marsha with her. I could spare no time to find her, no matter how much I wanted to. The guild was already in the dark, I had to keep it that way. The sudden appearance of the stolen book, though, shows me that Layla's goal had not been completely eradicated. I was hoping to leave it in your hands."

After a small mental shake, I forced out. "So did you know my secret the whole time?"

Master shook his head, "Only after I saw your wings did I realize it. If you wished to keep it a secret, who was I to tell it?"

I nodded slowly, yet in a small voice I had to ask. "Are you mad? You know, mad that I lied."

_And that you don't know the truth about Loki._

"Am I mad…? No, not mad that you lied, my child. I understand the situation, if you can believe it. Yet I am sad. Sad that my child has such a life, sad that she can't seem to trust her family. If you can't trust your family, who can you trust? Your friend Levy is like you, if I am correct. The gap between family and former life will only widen as more of your past conflicts with your present."

My hands tightened around the book. Master was right, I know. The room kept getting hotter as my secrets closed in on me. It trapped me in my chair, my head bowed down to keep Master from seeing my eyes. If he looked into them, I feared he would know all of my secrets.

"Master…"I sputtered.

"You can go now child," Makarov said gently, saving me from asking to go. "Look through the book if you wish, but I pray that you be careful. That book holds the experiment that took away numerous lives and brought diseases and heartbreak to your kind. Its intentions were golden, but the means were soiled with darkness. Don't use the book, no matter what situation you are in. The end doesn't justify the means, and mistakes don't disappear as long as the sun rises another day."

In a split second, I was standing. I muttered a brief thanks to Master and navigated my way down the hallway.

"Find Erza to lead you to your dorm!" I heard Master yell. I could not find the will to yell back and instead nodded even though he could not see it.

At the dining hall, I found my composure. My eyes detected the spring of red in a heartbeat, and I practically sprinted to Erza. As an after thought, I tried to keep the book more discreetly at my side.

The exchange with Erza was quick and to the point. She seemed to sense the urgency I had to get away from everyone, for which I was grateful. Not ten minutes later, she had shown me to the dorms and into a long hotel-like hallway. It had room numbers that were out of order, and handed me a silver key to room 239.

"Levy should be in here, rooming with you, unless she departed. If you need anything, I'm down the hall. Room One," Erza explained before walking down the hall, glancing back at me only once. I felt like a stranger.

I sighed when she was gone, glad to be alone for the first time that day. Expecting to see Levy on the other side of the door, I unlocked it with reluctance.

There was nobody inside of the room. It was odd, but I guessed that Levy needed some air. Air sounded good, but not good enough for me to get up and get it.

The room itself was plain. Hardwood floors, worn slightly with age, matched with walls painted a faded green and adorned with a Fairy Tail mark in pink. There were two beds, both of them with pristine white sheets and various shopping bags from the shopping adventure that occurred earlier today.

Figuring that the bed with my shopping bags on it belonged to me, I threw myself onto it, tossing the book to my side. My body sunk into the mattress, and I was threatened with sleep before I could even get under the covers. I fought it off. The sky was dark, but I couldn't sleep in the clothes I had on.

After throwing on a simple shirt and sleeping shorts, I finished a nightly regime. It was refreshing to actually be using my own supplies, even if they were bought with someone else's money. I fought that feeling off, remembering to be grateful that I had such a nice friend.

When all was done, I sat on the center of the bed. The book was off to my side, so I hesitantly picked it up and set it on my lap. I observed it, checking to make sure that it would not grow arms, teeth or anything of the sort. Arguing with myself over whether I should look inside or not, the half of my brain labeled "Sensible" won out and caused me to slip the book under one of my pillows. I could look at it tomorrow.

As I pulled back bed sheets, I noticed a letter lying on Levy's bed. It was the one Master had handed her, partially crinkled and opened.

I moved to go look at it, but pulled back.

_That's Levy's personal information!_

_ I want to know who sent it to her though…._

_ You're her friend. If you ask Levy, I am sure she will tell you._

_ But Levy is not here right now. Who knows when she is getting back?_

_ Don't do it!_

_ I want to do it._

_ You'll feel guilty, trust me._

_ I'm already guilty of so many things; I doubt this will make it any worse._

That was what decided it. I launched up from my bed and snatched up the letter. I sank to the floor, holding it in my hand and glancing around the room cautiously. If Levy walked in, I needed to get the letter out of my hand.

Under the bed sounded like a good place for it to go.

So, I read.

There was no heading, or even a greeting of any kind. In the same print press letters that were on the envelope, the letter said:

_Received, keep going._

I searched the entire thing for a signature or some other sort of writing. There was nothing else except for a scorch mark under the words. It looked like someone set the piece of paper directly over a fire, taking it off right before it could do more than damage the center.

Before Levy could return and catch me invading her privacy, I put everything back where I found it. As I settled myself into my own bed, I wondered what the letter meant or even who sent it. It could be from the Phoenix Court, but that wasn't possible, right? No one knows where Levy is. Plus there was no way to send things out of the Phoenix Court. We had no mail service. There was no need to send things to other places, since no one was supposed to even know we existed.

I fell asleep before Levy even came back to the room.

**I want to thank moocow4me for reviewing. You'll just have to wait and see if you're right, though. **

**A/N- So, I know it's been over a month since I've updated. I won't give any excuses, but I will say that updates will probably every other week from now on. **

**A/N 2- I was listening to the radio and they said there are 17 different kinds of hedgehogs in the world. I just thought I'd let you know incase an infestation suddenly started and we suddenly needed to know all about hedgehogs… is that a new fanficiton idea? Maybe….**

**A/N 3- I know by now I'm just ranting/ filling up space but I wanted to quickly encourage you guys to review and stick with the story. It's just getting action-y. **

**-PointYourFeetAndCapsLetters**


	12. Chapter 12

"**Letting go doesn't mean you don't care about someone anymore. It's just realizing that the only person you have control over is yourself." –Deborah Reber**

**Eskimos use refrigerators to keep food from freezing**

**Average lifespan of a major league baseball is 11 pitches**

**The dot over the letter i is called a tittle**

Levy was awake before me, picking out an outfit for me. I was stuck in one of those morning hazes where you didn't really know what was going on, so I put the outfit on without really noticing what it was. My head hurt from sleeping on the pillow that I had shoved the book under, so I made a mental note to move the book when Levy was not around.

Through my pounding head, I saw a bag labeled "Bagels" on the nightstand between our beds. When I pointed to it, Levy said that she got one for each of us. I was grateful. As my mind started to wake up, it began to realize how hungry I was.

I savagely picked up the bag and plopped myself onto the floor. I plucked a plain bagel out of the bag and looked at it. Examining it, even as my stomach growled.

Levy lowered herself next to me before ripping the bag from my hands. She took out a bagel and bit out a large hunk before setting the bag to the side. Levy continued to plow her way through the bagel as I continued to stare at mine. **\**

Halfway through her bagel, Levy asked, "Are you ever going to eat that?"

I looked at her face, the bagel, and then Levy's bagel before saying, "Did you remember to get any cream cheese?"

"No," Levy snorted. "I don't like cream cheese on bagels."

It was my turn to snort. "Cream cheese does not belong on anything except bagels. No exceptions."

"Well, I just so happen to like it on sandwiches. Also as cream cheese frosting on cakes. It's not really up to you, though. You aren't some amazing, all powerful food guru, Lucy. Some people don't want to ruin a bagel with creamy cheese spread smothered across it. That totally messes up the delectable, bakery-fresh taste of the bagel."

"Cool people eat cream cheese on their bagel."

"Awesome people don't," Levy retorted.

"I'm a cool person, therefore I like cream cheese on my bagel."

"Then you are welcome to go out and buy some yourself. I will sit here, eating my pure bagel, as I watch you taint yours with evil."

"So now cream cheese is evil, I take it?" I watched Levy carefully. "I don't care what race cream cheese is, I want some for my bagel, and I want you to get it."

"Cream cheese is not a race. It's a food."

"I still want you to go get it."

"No. If you want it so bad, get it yourself."

"But I don't have money," I complained.

"Then maybe you should hurry up and eat that bagel so you can go on a job."

The bagel quickly found its way to my mouth after that, and I finished eating it with a smile. If I could wake up every morning with moments like these, life would be blissful.

I brushed crumbs off my lap as I stood up from the floor. My body was energized as I went to brush my teeth. The energy from the bagel did wonders to wake me up, despite the lack of cream cheese.

Before I know it, Levy and I were out the door. We walked to Fairy Tail in silence, taking in our surroundings. We were both awed. Never before had I gotten a chance to really _look_ around this town. There used to always be a race here and than a race home and, recently, just too much drama for scenery. This place WAS captivating.

There were colors, but not as many as in Carronade Villa. It was better this way. More relaxed and home-like, with a constant smell of river water in the air. All the shops and people all had their own lives, homes, hobbies, and I would walk by them every day. I wouldn't know their story, but they wouldn't know mine either. Even though I itched to approach every passerby and ask them what it was like to grow up plain and human, I knew better.

Levy and I left our _alae _out in the open. A few people stared, but not enough to make us put them away. We had decided that Fairy Tail already knew about mine so there was no point in hiding anymore. The two of us still had other things to hide, that would not change, but little things like this make me feel a bit lighter inside.

Eventually, we stood at the doors of Fairy Tail.

This time was different. When I had visited Fairy Tail before, there was always a sense or urgency to get in and out. Whether it was because I had to get back to the Regina or because of recent drama, I had never gotten to fully bask in front of Fairy Tail. Now, along with Levy, I did.

The large doors, the overwhelming architecture that resembled a castle (but obviously not) and the sound of various yells from inside were like a sneak peek into Fairy Tail. I knew that once the doors opened, the yells would be louder, the smell of beer would start to fill me up, and a hundred faces would greet me. It would be a bit of an overload.

Thoughts of the book Master handed me last night kept coming back. I shoved them backwards and locked them up. Those would be dealt with when I could be alone. There was no use in worrying about things that I couldn't do anything about.

With that in mind, I opened the door.

I was right about that entire sensory overload. It was welcoming; along with the choruses of "hellos" and "good mornings" from what I assumed were everyone.

Levy and I made our way through the throng of people. Beer nearly spilled on me, but Levy pushed me forward at the exactly right moment. I shot her a grateful smile and made my way to a barstool.

Mirajane stood behind the bar, cleaning off a glass. In previous visits, I hadn't talked to her much. She seemed kind, but my time had always been consumed by Natsu and the bunch.

"Good morning, Lucy," Mirajane greeted me. "I hope you had a good night's rest because you're going to get busy. Natsu has been looking for you; he's been getting antsy to go on a job."

I bobbed my head, "Sounds like fun. Although I thought Gray wanted to do one with me as well?"

There was a chuckle from Mirajane. "The two of them got into one of their typical arguments last night after you left. I think it was over who would go on a job with you, but I'm not sure. Natsu said something about a prank." Mirajane set down the glass she was cleaning and picked up another one. "Anyways, Erza broke it up and told them that they would flip a coin to see who won."

"Natsu must've been glad he won," I remarked.

"You have no idea," Mirajane said and then turned towards Levy. "It's very nice to meet you, Levy. How's it being at Fairy Tail for the first time?"

Levy whistled, "It's a bit much, but I'm catching on. I did have a question, though, and I think you can answer it." Mirajane told Levy to ask away.

"I'm joining the guild, so do I have to fill out paperwork of some kind? Is there someone I need to talk to?"

Mirajane sets down the glass she was cleaning and smiled. "You asked the right person. While there is no paperwork, you do need to get the Fairy Tail stamp somewhere on your body." She turned to me. "You should get it done too, Lucy."

"A stamp? Like a tattoo?" I asked. "Those hurt, don't they? Can we just use paint and redraw them every one in a while?"

"Nonsense. It won't hurt at all. It's just a simple stamp placed in ink and then on top of your skin." Mirajane reassures. She pulled out a small ink pad and a stamp with the Fairy Tail symbol on it.

I noticed that Mirajane assumed that I was joining the guild. I was, of course, but I felt like I was getting roped into something without my consent. It was a feeling I shrugged off easily as I realized what was really happening. I was getting what I had worked for: becoming an official member of Fairy Tail.

My goal had been achieved. The next one was to go on that job with Natsu.

Mirajane asked what color stamp I wanted, so I said pink. I figure that it was a nice, neutral girl color that didn't remind me of the Phoenix Court. Mirajane stamped my hand painlessly. I admired the stamp as Mirajane gave Levy a blue one on her shoulder.

I wouldn't be able to stand a blue one. It was the color of my cloak at the Phoenix Court. Why should I be reminded of the symbol that marked me as less important than others?

All the time I spent admiring that stamp totaled around thirty seconds before Natsu dashed towards me, Happy at his side. In Natsu's hand he clutched a piece of paper with writing on it. When he reached me, Natsu unfurled the paper and held it in front of my face.

"Lucy, let's go on the job now. I picked this one for us, so let's get moving! I'm all fired up just thinking about it! They won't know what hit them when I come around the corner," Natsu chirped.

"C'mon, Lucy. We need food money," Happy said as he patted his stomach.

I extracted the paper from Natsu's hand and read it carefully. The job was to protect the cargo on a train. It involved two days of riding on a train filled with gold cargo, but the reward was a nice 100,000 jewels since the job was posted by a rich person by the name of Reyna Prince. The name struck me as strange. It rhymed too easily, like someone made it up.

"I don't know, Natsu," I glanced at the paper. "It's a two day mission; are you sure about this?"

Plus it has the possibility of being a combat mission, which didn't bode well for me. All I could fight with was my whip, which I hadn't practiced with in a long time. If I went alone on the mission, I could possibly use _ignis, _but I wasn't. Celestial Magic was definitely not reliable.

"It'll be fine! And fun, so I think we should get moving. You aren't scared or something, are you?" Natsu taunted. Happy threw in his catchphrase in at the end.

I stuttered, "No-no, no, I'm not scared at all. That's not the problem here. The problem…Well, you see, it is a bit long for my first mission." Even I knew that the excuse was horrible. Natsu and Happy made identical faces of discontentment at me.

"I see what's going on here," Natsu observed in a professor-like voice. "It's quite obvious, actually. I don't understand why we didn't see it earlier. Huh, Happy?"

"We were just rushing ahead. The problem here is very clear, though," Happy nodded. "Aye, indeed."

The two of them were so sure of themselves, but I was lost. There was also a bit of frustration seeping in. This job was something I needed; there really wasn't a choice as to whether I went or not, but I couldn't bring myself to say yes. A battle was inevitable. It was a huge risk, one that may be better left unturned.

"What? What is it that you think is so obvious?" I helplessly asked

"Poor Lucy, you've never been on a train before! You're scared of going on one," Happy cried out. He flew to my ankle and hugged it dramatically while I froze up, confused. I had never been on a train before -that much is true- but the thought of being scared of them never even crossed my mind.

"That is ridiculous. There's nothing to be scared of on a train. It's a large hunk of metal, right? Metal that moves. Why would I fear it?" I tried to shake Happy off of my ankle. He wouldn't get off, though. It was as if he is super glued to me. The very thought sent shivers down my spine.

"You know what," I decided, "I'll just go on the mission." This answer was partly to get some jewels and partly to get Happy off of my ankle. I was right about Happy, and the cat jumped off of me.

Natsu screamed in joy and started talking to Happy. For a moment, I tried to understand what he was saying before my mind wandered. _I'll have to pack some of those clothes that Levy bought me. Natsu will have to wait a little longer while I get ready. I wish I could look at the book, but if I bring it with me and Natsu sees it I don't know what I could say. I'll just hide it before I leave. Levy can't find it, either. _

All these secrets, all these lies… they brought so much trouble. I don't know why I bother to try.

_Because you enjoy being selfish. _The little voice in my head chanted. _You keep secrets because it is too hard for you to tell them. You tell lies because it hurts you to say the truth. You are not considering the people around you. All you care about is your own feelings, how hard things are for __you __to say. Think about how hard these things would be for people to hear. You just make it harder by putting it off._

An ominous wind, foretelling of dark shadows and stomach churning moments, blew over me. Only me. All around, Natsu babbled on, Happy smiled and agreed with him, and the rest of the guild raised glasses joyfully. I was tainting the cheerful air, so I mentally shoved the wind away.

Natsu grabbed my wrist, startling me. "Ready to go, Lucy? The train leaves soon! If we miss it, I can't get that food money." Natsu rubbed his stomach. "Just wait, stomach, I'll get you some food soon."

"You'll have to wait, Natsu. I need to stop at my room and grab a few clothes. I'll meet you at the dorms." Natsu nodded a confirmation before he noticed Gray across the room. Natsu raced towards him, Happy following on Natsu's heels.

That's when it hit me. My room. Levy. Will Levy care that I'm going on a mission? She'll be alone for two days in a guild she barely knows filled with people I have only told her about. I turned to talk to her, but Levy was no longer at my side. My eyes panned the guild until they spot the blue hair of Levy. She was speaking to two boys; I think their names are Jet and Droy.

When I was about to go up and talk to Levy, she turned around and practically skipped towards me. Jet and Droy ogled at her from behind. I ignore them as Levy and I exchanged pleasant greetings laced with smiles.

"Lucy, I hope you don't mind," Levy's _alae _fluttered in excitement, "Jet and Droy asked me to do a mission with them. They were super kind about it. I know I'm still new, but it seemed rude to say no, so I'll be gone for a few days. Is the okay with you?" The look on her face was so hopeful.

I told Levy that this has worked out perfectly, that I will be off on my own mission as well. From the sounds of things, I will be back before her and, when she returns, we are going out to dinner together. This time, I'm paying for the meal. Levy didn't even try to object, instead opting to squeeze me tightly and then skipping towards Jet and Droy.

Leaving Levy to talk to Jet and Droy, I made my way to the dorms. The tight hug Levy gave me was a bit too tight. My healed _alae _ache from the strain. Although they were healthy, the broken one will never be the same. Always weak, always more tender, always more fragile than the other.

The moment I am outside of the guild, I flapped the _alae _apart. Then, just to prove to myself that I still can, I flew to the dorms.

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

Touching down on the grass, I folded my _alae _behind my back. I went into the dorm's lobby and started the trek to my room.

That spur-of-the-moment flight was invigorating. Even on the ground I still felt the rush of the wind blowing through my hair and the freedom of being able to go anywhere I want. The feelings were amplified even more by the fact that I could do something that most of those around me couldn't. For once in my life, I can fly and that made me special, not common.

My room showed up quickly and I flung myself inside. Immediately plagued with the questions of what I should pack, I carelessly threw an extra set of clothes into a black bag and called it finished. The book under my pillow took a little longer to hide. Since Levy would be gone too, I didn't have to worry about it, but I needed to know that the book would be safe.

I decided to shove the book under my mattress. With little difficulty, I slipped the book under the plushy mat. My hands patted the mattress down to smooth out any bumps, attempting to make it look as natural as possible. For a brief moment I stood back to admire my work, accompanied by a gnawing feeling that the hiding spot was too painfully obvious.

_People always overlook the obvious._

It took all of two seconds to convince myself that and then I bounced out the door. My hair bobbed with my steps as my black bag swayed back and forth. A hand slid to my waist, making sure my whip and keys were there.

The whip and keys made me think of Loki. Slippery guilt snuck into my mind, along with a lot of questions. Clearly I remember every single thing I was going to ask Loki. All of the sadness that comes with thoughts of Loki is there too, but my mind wandered. My steps slow and I think of the mystery Loki left behind for me.

I had never given it much thought since the day of his death. Instead, I chose to block out as much of that day as I could, trying to remember the brighter spots of the journey in place of the dark. It is easier like this, less painful. It does nothing to soothe my curious mind and makes me think of things better left unturned.

Something Loki said on the day of his death stayed with me. The words were trapped in the back of my mind, where they stayed out of my conscious and left me in blissful ignorance.

_Holding a grudge and then using freedom as an excuse to carry it out is not how they wanted it to be done. Lucy is to stay free and alive._

What were those guys holding a grudge against? Why was I involved in it? I was sure Loki knew the answer. I clenched my Celestial keys tightly, immersing myself in the harsh memory. That night, they had also mentioned something about my mother. I didn't know what they were talking about, but I remember them mentioning _The Regina Second._

There is a moment's pause before my brain connects the dots. Master had talked about _The Regina Second_ as well. She had been July, my mother's partner in crime. That that rogue Phoenix's knew my mom and July means they may know about the book, the rituals, and the exile of my mom and July. What did that have to do with me? How did those rogues know my mother and July?

I stopped walking and thought. My brain can't come up with a reason. 

It was hard to think straight. Everything was whirling through my mind at breakneck speeds, left, and right, up, down, and anything in between. My emotions were out of whack as well, diving along the lines of curious and depressed. All the secrets were taking their toll on my conscious. I felt a little betrayed, especially since my mother never told me any of this.

Convincing myself that I have time to wallow in betrayal and questions later, I tried to straighten myself out. It was difficult, and I was trying to compose myself when I saw Natsu's signature pink hair heading my way. I finished straightening myself out the best I can and shot Natsu a smile.

"Why did you come in the building? I was going to meet you two outside," I said, gesturing to the door that was a mere ten feet away. I didn't realize that I stopped so close to the exit. Maybe I should've paid more attention to my surroundings.

Natsu let out a sheepish laugh, "You were taking too long."

"Are you excited, Lucy?" asks Happy, "It's your first mission! Don't worry about the bad guys, I can handle them. Happy will protect you with everything he has." Happy saluted me as if he was a solider.

"Thank you Happy, that is very reassuring. I am sure the mission will be much safer now that you are protecting me. My life will be in your hands," I gave my hand to Happy, who kissed it theatrically.

"If you're that worried, I'll protect you too," Natsu shouted. His eyes dance with the flames of anticipation. "It's a promise, okay? I won't let you down."

I nodded. Natsu's words quell nerves I did not know I had.

"Food money time," Natsu proclaimed gleefully. He pointed towards the door, "Onward we march!"

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

Surprisingly, we made it to the train station in one piece. On our walk over, we saw Gray and before I knew it, Natsu and Gray were speaking rudely towards each other. It would have turned into a brawl but I smiled politely towards Gray, told him we would be on a mission, and pulled Natsu away from the scene. Several passing people, who had stopped to listen to the two mages exchange colorful words, gave a few hoots that were supposed to encourage a fight. One flap of my _alae, _accompanied by a semi-polite send off, sent them on their way.

The train station was not small by any means. Everything was clean by public facility standards, but those standards weren't that high. The entire place reeked of sprays and goods. Several train station platforms, a few basic benches, and a simple booth selling tickets.

Natsu paid for my ticket, even though I tell him not to. He has to, since I still have no money, yet the thought doesn't hold back the feeling that I am relying on people to much. I make a silent pact with myself to pay Natsu back.

We reached the platform for our train -Platform Three- and wait. I stare, amazed, at the other trains in other platforms. The large metal monsters were black and loud, sending enough noise to shake my whole body. The mere size of trains made it look impossible for them to move. A train a few platforms over leaves the station and I watched the wheels, mesmerized, as they rolled along smoothly.

"Lucy," Happy called, drawing my attention. "Where'd you get the whip from? It's so cool, like a ninja tool or something! Hi-ya!" Happy took a moment to try out some ninja moves.

I fingered the whip carefully. I have had it for a few months now, but I had never trained with it. Right now, it was more of an accessory than anything. "It was a gift… from a good friend," I can't get myself to tell Happy that it is from Loki. Happy could ask why Loki got me such a gift, and then what would I say. "I have had it for a little while now, why have you not asked me before?"

"Never noticed it," Happy shrugged. "Can you do ninja moves with it?"

I chuckled, "No, I'm not very good with it. You can give it a try, if you want."

Happy nodded vigorously. I handed him the whip, which was too big for his paws, and Happy staggered back and forth under its weight. He tried to swing the whip around, and failed in doing anything except making it flop to the side. With one mighty swing, Happy got the whip off the ground.

It easily wrapped around the ankle of a nearby stranger. The stranger was walking past and, as they took their next step, the whip tightened around his ankle. With a frown, the stranger untangled the whip from his foot and lifted it into the air, sending Happy into the sky with it.

Happy dangled from the sky. The stranger stared at him for a second, glaring. I moved to help Happy but the stranger had another idea. He forced Happy's paws off the whip and, in a single movement, wrapped Happy in the whip and throws him towards me. Luckily, I caught Happy without hurting him and we watched the stranger walk away. As he passes by, his middle finger shot our way.

"That was rude," I remarked, untying Happy at the same time. He stretched his arms when I finish setting him free. "At least now you know you aren't going to be a whip protégé."

"I don't know, I thought Happy was doing pretty good there," Natsu said.

"Aye, but why did that man stick his middle finger up?" Happy asked as our train simultaneously pulled into the platform. My skin prickled, ready to board the giant contraption for the first time.

Letting Natsu take the lead, we headed towards the train. I concentrated on the train and absentmindedly told Happy, "It's a wave people give you when they are angry." My mind is exploding as I enter the train, handing a man in a blue uniform my ticket.

Smells of perfume and food -way too many types of food- entered my nose. They only distracted me for a second before my ears pick up on the chattering of people around me. All of them picked their way into their seats, rustling with bags, canes or newspapers. Natsu and Happy strolled towards the back of the car. I follow, letting my gaze wander.

The seats people sat in were like booths in a restaurant. They were not clean booths, but it is a stretch to call them disgusting. The floor was littered with footprints of different sizes and coated in grime. Lots of mud and stray grass was kicked along as I walked. Besides the grass and a few yellow stripes on the walls, everything was black in here.

My eyes were drawn to the windows, where I could see large clumps of people milling outside the train. A little too crowded for me, I noted, but not unbearable.

Natsu and Happy sat in a booth right next to back end of the train. A door labeled cargo was right behind them, which I assumed was where the gold we were supposed to protect was stored.

As soon as I sat across from Natsu, a man approached us. He was tall and wiry with a black mustache that cured up on one side and down on the other. Other than the man's slick blue hair, his features were all brown. His suit and name tag, proclaiming the man as **Beltran Jostles, Train Staff, **matched his features.

"Good day," Mr. Jostles said, his voice an octave too high. He held out a hand for both Natsu and I to shake. Happy gives Mr. Jostles a look of resentment when he is not offered a handshake as well. "You must be the Fairy Tail mages here to guard the cargo, correct?"

Natsu stared blindly out the window, having lost interest after shaking Mr. Jostles' hand. I answered weakly, "That is right. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Jostles."

Mr. Jostles seemed surprised that I knew his name until he glanced at his nametag. I continued talking, and introduced the three of us, ending with a pleasant comment about the train's cleanliness.

"It's an honor to meet you three, but I will try not to waste too much of your time. The train will take off in exactly three minutes. I just thought to go over a few point about the mission, yes?" Mr. Jostles paused, which I took as my cue to nod. "An anonymous benefactor is transporting this gold to a research facility in Brown Bear Springs. Your job is to make sure it gets to the station safe and sound. The ride is two days. We will take periodic stops to pick up and drop off more passengers. Meals will be provided, of course, and your money for completing the mission will be given to you at the Brown Bear Springs station by a researcher from the facility. Any questions?"

"Reyna Prince," I blurted out. After Mr. Jostles gave me a confused look, I added, "Reyna Prince is the benefactor, the one who sent us on this mission. That's what the flyer said." At least, that is what I recalled.

A horn sliced through the air, making me cringe.

"I don't believe I was ever given the name of the benefactor, but I don't think it matters. As long as everything goes smooth and shiny, right?" Another horn blast shot through the air, and Mr. Jostles said, "The train takes off in thirty seconds, and so make sure you're ready!" Mr. Jostles waved as he walked off.

_I guess the benefactor doesn't matter. As long as we get paid._

I grinned at Natsu and Happy, "Are you ready for the mission to start?" First time nerves flew at full throttle in my body. Happy grinned enthusiastically, chanting to himself about food money.

The final horn blow reached my ears, and the train lurches forward. We are off, the station slowly melting into the distance. I watched it melt until it becomes a small speck. My ears are tuned into the chug-chug of the wheels, the screeching of them on the rails.

Looking back at Natsu, I did a double take. He was bent over the seat, holding onto his stomach for dear life. Natsu's face was an alarming shade of green and he stuck his head out of the window and pukes.

"Happy," I get the cat's attention, "What is wrong with Natsu? Should we call someone?"

Happy rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Oops," he chuckled, "I forgot to mention that Natsu has really bad motion sickness. He'll be like this until the train stops."

**A/N- I appreciate your patience in waiting for this chapter. I'm lazy, what can you do about it?**

**Rambling A/N- I discovered that it's a requirement to sell historical bridges before they can be torn down. In my state, there's this bridge for sale because of that and it's free if you transport it away yourself. However, the bridge is over 2,000 feet long. In short, nobody is actually going to but it.**

**Thanks to moocow4me and korne-pokemon-luv for reviewing. Love you to pieces!**


	13. Chapter 13

**What tremendous strength, I bet she's single- (Kabuto, from Naruto)**

**Religion, ideology, resources, land, spite, love or just because... No matter how pathetic the reason, it's enough to start war. War will never cease to exist... reasons can be thought up after the fact... Human nature pursues strife. Paine (Naruto)**

**There are over 58 million dogs in the U.S!******

**Fingernails grow nearly 4 times faster than toenails!**

I slouched into my seat. Natsu's throwing up stopped a little while ago, but he still grumbled to himself and clutched his stomach. He had spread himself over his entire seat, which forced Happy sit next to me.

We ignored Natsu's pain by making small talk. Anything came up, from weather and fish to Happy telling me new stories about Fairy Tail. I was glad to listen to the stories. Hearing about all of the Fairy Tail members and the things they had done got me pumped to do heroic things like saving towns.

The conversation died down after a while. We ran out of things to talk about and sat there, left to our thoughts. I let my mind drift and admired my Fairy Tail tattoo, worrying about a possible attack that I would have to carry out without Natsu's help.

A topic I had been fending off found its way to the front of my mind. All of my questions about Loki, my mother, July, and thousands of other things grew larger the more I thought about it.

Another piece of my mind centered on July. If she was so close to my mother, why did Mother never mention her? Especially since she was Marsha's mother. I'm not even sure if Marsha knew who her mother was. I

I had never dreamed that my mother held so many secrets. Did anything she said to me when I was little leave any hints? Clues? I couldn't remember. Most of the memories were fuzzy and chipped. The only one I remembered clear enough was the time she sang that lullaby to me as we walked from town to town.

Now I remembered why we were walking. It was to get away from something. I did not know what -most likely the Phoenix Court chasing after mother- but it did not hurt to keep my options open. I was unsure of how many more surprises I could handle.

Did Mother's lullaby mean something? The thought hit me. _I hope not. Mother's lullaby was magical to me. The greatest piece of my childhood. Could it actually be a part of one of mother's chants in her book? Some type of spell?_

I wish that I didn't think such a thing. Since I did yet to see the book, and didn't have it with me, I could only wonder about the book's secrets. The wondering plagued me. It haunted my thoughts and darkened the flashes of my childhood that used to be bright.

Just when it seemed like the train ride would never end, a hand grabbed my wrist. I looked up, wondering if Natsu had finally gotten over his motion sickness. The face that greeted me was Sting's, adorned with a victorious smile.

Happy called my name. He beat his paws uselessly against Sting's side while trying to coax Natsu up. Natsu groaned. I was frozen in shock.

Sting easily brushed Happy to the side, sending the flailing cat into the aisle. Happy didn't get back up. I could only pray that he was okay. That was when I started to struggle, but Sting was a lot stronger than me.

"You bastard. You killed Loki," I snarled.

"Good riddance, eh?" Sting pulled out a rag and dribbled a vial of clear liquid onto it. "Anyways, I think you should know that fake missions usually aren't our style. This was too easy to be fun. For all of the fuss over you, I would think that you'd be smarter." The rag was shoved over my face.

Immediately, I felt the effects. My struggles ceased and my eyes began to close. Sting took his time binding my hands and ankles, muttering about doing all of the dirty work. Through the fog in my head, I struggled to connect the dots.

_This whole mission was a set up. Sting and whatever group he is a part of must have known Natsu would get motion sickness and that I would be defenseless. There is no gold to protect or any jewel reward. _

Sting took me into his arms and jumped through the window, sending glass shards everywhere before we flew into the sky.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

I woke up bound to a wall. To my surprise, it wasn't in some cliché dungeon or dark room. I was in a brightly lit sitting room. It was completely average looking except for the black chains that I was attached to. It even smelled nice in here, like roses, which kept me calm. I would call the entire room calm except that there were two people sitting at a table, arguing.

"Did you even think to look for the book?" yelled a man in a mohawk. "We need the girl and the book. Now all we have is another mouth to feed." Mohawk man clenched his fist. I swear that he was going to punch Sting, who sat across from him idly playing with my Celestial keys. I assumed that Sting stole the keys from me, which sparked annoyance instead of fear or anger.

"The train was going to stop soon. I didn't want to deal with the dragon slayer," Sting defended. "Sue me, I was in a hurry. We'll just get Lucy to tell us where the book is. We can wipe out the Phoenix Court spy while we're at it."

"Phoenix Court spy?" I wondered aloud, which made Sting and Mohawk Man look my way. "Who's the spy?" I knew they wouldn't tell me, so my mind ran through the names of everyone in Fairy Tail. The only possibility I come up with was Levy, which was ridiculous. She's my friend, someone who would never betray me.

Mohawk Man stood up. "Look what you did, Sting. She's awake. I haven't even set up the _ignis _wards yet."

"You should have done so earlier," Sting snorted. "I don't think it matters, though. She needs two hands for _ignis. _With her hands chained to the walls like that, we're completely safe."

"Just watch her while I go get the stuff to set up the wards." Mohawk Man left the room, slamming the door behind him.

"No need to get so testy, Neofore!" Sting yelled to the closed door.

Sting continued speaking, but my mind was put on hold. No matter how many times I went over it in my mind, I couldn't convince myself that Sting's words were true. There was no way that Mohawk Man is Neofore because Neofore would have never left the Court. He lectured about loyalty and honor all the time.

As I thought about it a little more, it dawned on me that maybe Sting wasn't fibbing. Neofore had a Mohawk, but I hadn't seen him since I quit being a Guard by Blood. It could be a coincidence, especially because the Neofore I knew didn't have black _alae. _

Neofore walked back into the room carrying a black marker. I looked him over carefully, checking for signs that he was the same Neofore that taught me _ignis. _As he drew black symbols on the ground and sent his blue _ignis _into them, I could confirm it. Even though he was older and worn, Neofore's moves were still strong and held the same intensity that I remembered.

When he finished the wards for my _ignis, _I felt a squeezing in my chest. My _ignis _was wrapping in itself and folding so tightly that I couldn't use it. I wiggled uncomfortably and Neofore glared at me.

"I can see it in your eyes," Neofore said. "You remember me. It took you long enough."

I was momentarily speechless. His piercing black eyes froze me in place. Sting giggled a bit in the background. Neofore turned to leave but I called out. "Why? Why I am here and why are your _alae _black and your _ignis _blue? No one ever said something about people with such conditions."

Neofore snorted, "Of course they didn't, stupid girl. The _Regina _has everyone wrapped around her finger. Anything that causes commotion is immediately covered up as if it never happened. There're too many secrets to trust anything in the Court."

"That doesn't answer my questions," I commented.

"I'm not here to do you a service, stupid girl. You're the reason I'm like this. Figure it out yourself." I watched Neofore stomp out of the room. From outside of the door, he yelled, "I'll go tell the others that she's awake."

_There are others?_

Sting stood up and walked to me. He was cocky and enjoying the fact that he had power over me. His black _alae _unfolded until they formed a dark wall between me and the rest of the room.

"You really don't know, do you?" Sting observed. "You don't know what you did to Neofore or why we need you. How sad. Maybe your ghost will find out when the _Regina _meets you in heaven." Sting flapped his _alae_ and made a current of air slap at my face.

"Why won't you tell me?" I demanded weakly. I shouldn't push my luck; Sting had the upper hand. "If you're going to kill me, why didn't you just do it on the train?" It's not that I want to die, but there are fates worth then death.

"I'll make you a deal," Sting grinned impishly, "If you tell me where the book is, I'll tell you why you're here."

I immediately told him no. Thinking back, I didn't hide the book in a very clever spot. If Sting decided to fly to Fairy Tail and search my room, he would easily get what he wanted. I could always lie about where the book was. Then again, the consequences may not be worth it.

"Are you sure? We're going to find the book anyways, whether you tell us or not. At least this way you get something out of it." Sting waited for an answer that would never come. "No? Alright, I'll leave you at the mercy of the others."

I kept myself from asking more questions. Sting wouldn't answer them, so I would only be wasting my breath.

There was a knock from the door. The knocker didn't wait for Sting's answer before throwing the door open.

It turned out that the knocker was actually a group of five Phoenixes, all in the same condition as Sting and Neofore. Four of them were unfamiliar but the fifth was the same hooded person that was present when Loki died. A hood still covered their face, which was incredibly annoying. If these people wanted to kill me, it really shouldn't matter if I saw their faces.

"Apparently, you didn't get the book, Sting," said a petite girl with white hair. She wore all black, which made her look like a ghost.

Sting shrugged, "I forget. It doesn't matter; she didn't have it with her anyways. It's probably at home, under a mattress or something." I cringed, hoping that no one else noticed that Sting's guess was correct.

"I didn't see you doing anything, Yukino," Sting addressed the white haired girl. Yukino sighed and whispered something rude under her breath. "If you're in such a hurry, you can go round up the book yourself. Neofore and I have been doing all of the grunt work around here."

"And you've repeatedly messed up! First you let the Court spy get into Fairy Tail, then you manage to kill the Celestial spirit but not capture Lucy, and finally you capture Lucy but forget the book." Yukino counted the mistakes on her fingers. "Three times, Sting. Three!"

I restrained the urge to yell "_who is the spy?_"

"You've made plenty of mistakes yourself," Sting walked towards Yukino, looking ready for a fight. Yukino held her ground and no one moved to stop Sting.

Then, Sting bumped into the hooded figure. The hood fell down, almost in slow motion, which revealed the face of the hooded figure.

It was Marsha.

She was older and more mature, but she was definitely Marsha.

Her eyes locked onto mine. I was trying to figure out how she was alive. When Gray found me, he said that there was no one else in the building. That either meant that Marsha got out before Gray could see her or that this wasn't Marsha, just a lookalike.

"Marsha," I breathed, "You're alive."

I moved to get up and walk towards her, but fell back to the ground. In my shock, I had forgotten about the chains. They burned my wrists.

That was when I notice the brutal stare that Marsha was giving me. It was overflowing with hate, all directed at me.

"Of course I'm alive, idiot. Too bad you didn't die. I had planned out the whole fire perfectly, but that stupid boy came along to save you." Marsha growled. "No matter; we need you now anyways. This time, you're dying for sure."

"You planned the fire?" All of the information was hitting me at once. I couldn't digest it all. "I thought we were friends, sisters even. My mother took care of you! You used to always help me… and take care of me." I looked at the ground to spare myself from Marsha's stare.

I heard Marsha scoff, "It's not like I had a choice in helping you, brat. I was bound by a charm that your mother put on me. You only saw in me what you wanted to see. When you thought you were going to die, I could have diagnosed your disease right away if I had wanted you to live."

"W-what do you mean? What was my disease?"

"You're too stupid to figure it out yourself. Why should I tell you? I hate you, Heartfilia. I hated your mother even more." Marsha briskly walked to me, bringing her face directly in front of mine. "Layla is the reason my mother is dead. She's the reason that everyone here is tainted with black _alae _and cannot go back to the Phoenix Court. She died before any of us could lay a finger on her for revenge. Now, we'll get real revenge and use Layla's own spell and sacrifice her own daughter to achieve the goal my mother wanted."

"Our mothers wanted the same goal," I stated. "If you're achieving your mother's goal, you're also doing exactly what my mother wanted." **(Stay consistent.)**

"Shut up! Shut up, shut up!" Marsha screeched. She slapped my cheek. "Your mother was selfish and only wanted freedom for herself. My mother wanted the entire Phoenix Court to be improved so that the tyranny would stop and things would change. Mother wanted change, Layla wanted freedom."

"They're both dead!" I screamed.

Everything stopped. The slap on my cheek throbbed red. Marsha stood straight and took deep breaths. The rest of the room waited silently for something to happen.

The silence was broken quickly and Marsha slapped my cheek again. She then stomped out of the room and yelled, "Find the book! Someone knock the bitch out and keep watch over her."

I assumed that I was the bitch when Sting took a syringe filled with clear liquid and injected it into my arm.

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

Cold metal pressed against my lips. Something was being shoved into my mouth, but instinct kept me from letting it in. I pried my eyes open to see what it was. Everything was blurry and took its time to focus.

"Come on, open your mouth. If you don't eat this, you'll probably die from starvation and then Marsha will get mad at me," Sting sang. He held a bowl filled with oatmeal and shoved a metal spoon filled with it into my face.

I wanted to refuse the food. It could have been more drugs or even poison. I didn't know how long I had been knocked out for, but my stomach urged me to eat. I gave in quickly and Sting shoveled a hefty spoonful into my mouth. This continued in silence for several minutes, which was fine by me. My stomach was grateful to have fuel.

The bowl was half empty when I asked, "Why have I only seen you on guard duty for me? Are you my personal guard or something? I thought Marsha would have you doing something more important. I mean, it's not like I'm escaping anytime soon."

Sting sat back and fed me another spoonful. He looked torn between answering me or being a diligent captor and ignoring me. It wasn't long before he made a decision.

"You assume that I want Marsha ordering me around," Sting stated matter-of-factly. "I'm here because there's no where else for me to go. That's the only reason I have. I can't survive in the world alone because -let's face it- all Phoenixes are too sheltered. We rely on the Court for our entire lives and when it's taken away we don't know what to do."

"I got along" I said. I couldn't keep out the smugness that crept into my words.

"You had help," Sting complained.

A few more spoonfuls of oatmeal were shoved into my mouth. I chewed and pondered. I had taken Sting's words to heart. He was right; I did get help. Not as much as I needed, but it was definitely more than Sting would ever get.

"You didn't answer my entire question. Why are you on guard duty for me?"

Sting chuckled. "You've been knocked out most of the time. You can't possibly know whose been guarding you. I'll have you know that we take shifts, but what you said was true. I have guard duty to most often."

Of course I asked him why.

"The only good part of my situation is the action. I look forward to it. Neofore calls me an adrenaline junkie. That's an exaggeration. Right now, we're at the boring part of the plan that has a lot of preparations and boring work. Guarding you is the action job. Also, Marsha doesn't trust me. It's because I don't want to be here. She gives me the jobs that I can't possibly mess up. Although right now, I could always unlock your chains. Don't get ideas. I would never do that. Marsha would slice off my head." Sting rubbed his hand against his neck slowly.

"Why don't you want to be here?"

Sting stood up. "This is getting a bit personal. I can't give everything away because that ruins the suspense. What good action show doesn't have a shit load of suspense?"

Sting took out the syringe again. This time, my mind had enough time to go over everything that had just happened before I was incomprehensive.

I had just had a casual conversation with Loki's killer.

x.x. .x. . .x. . .. .x.x.x

I woke up. The room showed signs of nighttime. My wrists burned from the chains. I tried to stay as still as possible so they wouldn't rub against the chain.

The door opened and Neofore waltzed in. It was too dark for me to see him clearly but I saw the outline of a book in his hand.

My heart stopped. I knew what the book was right away. No matter how much I wished that it wasn't, Neofore had _A __Deligati Ad Libertas_in his hand. He held it carefully as he walked to me.

"Look what we got," Neofore gloated. The book was held up for me to see but Neofore kept it from my reach. "It's only a matter of time now, thanks to your genius hiding place. Under your mattress… Did you think we were stupid? I thought you were a bit more creative then that."

"I didn't hide it with you guys in mind," I forced out. My throat was parched and it hurt when I spoke. "You still haven't told me," I coughed dryly, "What you are actually planning to do."

"This isn't a cliché princess story. I'm not revealing the entire plan to you."

"But… You haven't told me why you're here, either."

Neofore put the book by his side. His eyes were hard as he said, "I know Sting told you why he's here. He has always been willing to say his reasons. 'I have no choice,' he says. He says it because if we fail, he doesn't want to be held accountable… Sting didn't want to be cast out of the Court. At first, I didn't either, but then I saw the truth. Everything about the Phoenix Court restricts our freedoms, from the government to our lifestyle. Without freedom, no one is going to be truly happy. That's all I want for my brethren: happiness. If I get rid of the _Regina,_ they can have it. We won't fail. I won't let us."

Neofore had a noble cause. I admired it and wished that I could work towards something so unselfish, but I also knew that he was achieving it in a horrible way. If he continued on this path, more people then I would die. Freedom could be achieved in other ways; I was sure of it.

Before I could ask more, Neofore left the room. He kept the door slightly ajar. That would have been good news for me if I hadn't been chained to the wall.

Time passed slowly. I wished that I had been knocked out again. Everything was boring and with nothing else to do, I concentrated on how much my wrists burned. The more I thought about it, the more they hurt. I started crying and praying that no one would walk in to see me like this.

Yukino came into the room. She was holding a bottle of water, which she generously let me drink out of.

"You were crying," Yukino observed. She set the bottle of water to the side. I sniffled and looked away from Yukino, ashamed. "It's okay to cry. Your situation is a dark one. Think, though, about what your death will do! It will bring light to the Phoenix Court and, with us as the new rulers, people will learn the truth."

"What truth?" I said.

Yukino ignored my question and watched me carefully. "Tell me, what do you know about the _Regina_?"

"She's the monarch of the Court. There's not much else to it," I shrugged. I was sure that my wrists began to bleed.

"Do you know why she's in charge? Do you know anything about how they pick the monarch?"

"Well… no. I don't. No one has ever talked about it. I assume that the Council members pick a new ruler when the _Regina _dies."

Yukino sat in front of me and folded her hands together, "That's the thing. When does the _Regina _die? The _Regina _was ruler when Layla was a child, she rules now, and she looks no older than twenty. Have you ever thought about that?"

I admitted that no, I hadn't. It was strange to think about but, the more I did, the more I saw the Yukino was right. I didn't think such a thing was possible.

"It's because she doesn't die. She sucks the life from the Phoenixes around her, making her immortal. That's why she wants them all in one place, so she can have her unlimited supply of energy. Every in the Court is just her pawn and her food. It's disgusting." Yukino gritted her teeth.

"How come nobody notices? Wouldn't people look at history or records and see that something was off?"  
"There aren't historians or record keepers in the Court, the _Regina _made sure of it. Oh, they have books, but nothing about the past. Nobody questions it either, because they don't want trouble."

I thought it over. I didn't want Yukino to be right or admit that I had been so ignorant.

Yukino stood up and grabbed the empty bottle. "Now I hope you know how much the Court needs your death. It will be worth it. The sacrifice of one is all right if it will benefit many." Yukino nodded curtly and left the room.

There wasn't a lot of time for me to digest this. Within minutes of Yukino's departure, there was a crash from the hallway. It was followed by swears and alarmed yells. Whatever it was, it didn't sound good.

For the umpteenth time, I cursed the chains. Besides being painful, they left me with no way to check out the crash.

I became worried when the smell of fire drifted towards me. It stung my nose and I was soon able to see flames near the open door. My mind raced through different ways to escape. None of them seemed like they would work particularly well.

Neofore raced into the room, followed by Sting and a man I didn't know. The three of them undid my chains and made me stand up. Bewildered, I did as they said. The fire was getting closer.

"Get moving," Sting said. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me along as we dashed out of the room. Behind us there was an earsplitting scream. I almost stopped to turn and look, but Sting tugged me on.

We ran through unfamiliar hallways. I couldn't keep track of how many times we turned right or left. All I knew was that I had to keep running.

As we ran, I yelled to Sting, "Where's the book? You're not letting it burn, right?"

"We're running for our lives and," Sting coughed, "You're worried about the damn book? Marsha has it. You just worry about running. I can't let them capture you."

I couldn't get enough air to ask another question. Smoke started to fill the air. It made it harder to breathe and my mind began to fog up. I wanted to slow down but Sting kept a tight grip on me. Neofore and the man were a few steps ahead of us, talking about their meeting place with the rest of their group.

When I thought I couldn't go on anymore, we stopped. I was grateful and immediately doubled over as I gasped for breath. I didn't know why we stopped. We weren't out of the building yet. I looked up to ask Sting or Neofore, but then I saw why we stopped.

An army of Phoenix guards from the Court blocked our way. Decked out in reds, yellows and oranges, the guards blended in with the flames behind them. The flames, I realized, had been created by _ignis. _

At the head of the guards was Levy accompanied by a woman who resembled her.

"Levy, what are you doing? Did you come to save me?" I knew the words were a childish fantasy, but I had wanted them to be true.

"I guess you could call it that," Levy shrugged. She wouldn't meet my eyes as I stared at her with my mouth open. My brain wasn't keeping up with what was going on.

I struggled for words, "I thought you ran away from the Court… What are you doing with them now? Who's the woman you're with?"

The woman that looked like Levy stepped forward. She bellowed, "In the name of the Phoenix Court, I, Andretti McGarden, arrest Lucy Heartfilia. Guards, take her and the ones with black _alae._"

In a confused stupor, I couldn't move. I simply watched as my wrists and ankles were bound together. A guard threw me over his shoulder like a sack but I still couldn't believe this. Levy stared at the ground the entire time and fiddled with her hair. I wasn't able to decide if I was angry or sad.

Levy had betrayed me. I was being dragged back to the Court that I had escaped away from.

**Thanks to ForeverKingdom and Kiri no Dragon Slayer for reviewing. If I loved my readers anymore, it would be weird.**

**A/N- The action's picking up. Too bad action things take me forever to write. They always have to be just right and, if I get stuck, I end up deleting lots of things (sometimes pages worth of writing) and no progress gets made. **

**Rambling A/N- People do gross things in airport security. This lady did something that's rather unmentionable (she stuck a gun in some weird places on her body and tried to get through security. The same lady also stuck drugs in weird places) Here's my advice- just don't do illegal things. **

**Thanks to my beta, Levy-chan. She's the reason these chapters are so fantastically fantastic.**


	14. Chapter 14

**May is celebrated as Zombie Awareness Month is the United States**

**Mickey Mouse was the first non-human to win an Oscar**

"**But before he could either comfort me or commit further acts of violence upon my person, I spun away from him and made my drama queen moment complete by running away." – Rachel Hawkins, Hex Hall**

"**If you build the guts to do something, anything, then you better save enough to face the consequences."**** – Criss Jami**

*Lamia- literal translation means vampire

We arrived at the Court discreetly. Neofore and Sting were taken away by the majority of the guards, leaving me with Andretti, Levy, and two burly men. Levy refused to meet my eyes as they escorted me towards _Regina's _castle.

The closer the castle was, the more I began to panic. Everything I had worked for, that Loki had died for, was crashing down. I would be killed or imprisoned and the one who made it happen was my best friend. I couldn't decide whether to be angry or sad, so I settled for a combination.

The panic had started to close over me. "No, we can't go there," I shouted. Andretti turned around, amused. "I won't let you take me. People went through too many hardships for me to come back here." I stumbled to the side. My body shook with the effort of holding me up.

Andretti simply laughed. "Why? Why would we let you turn around? Your life isn't the only one here at stake, girl. Stop being selfish. Do you want to be the cause of death?"

"I already was. You're the one causing even more death! You're the one helping the _Regina._ She's killing you, you know. Slowly sucking away at your life," I started concentrating on stopping my swaying.

Levy looked at me with wide eyes. She tripped over her own feet and averted her eyes, trying to cover up her reaction. Andretti's arm shot out and grabbed my wrist. With a steel grip she squeezed and said, "Don't talk about things you don't understand. The _Regina _isn't the only _lamia* _around. Maybe if your mother wasn't such a monster you wouldn't be so ignorant."

I let Andretti keep holding my wrist even though I felt the bruises forming, "My mother wasn't a monster. She was trying to help everyone. They would be better off without the _Regina _and you know it."

"Tch; so you're like the rebels. Figures," Andretti let go of my wrist and pushed me forwards. "You'll never understand. Here in the Court, the _Regina _is essential. Everyone is dependent on her."

Levy kept glancing at her mother and quickly looking away. I could see gears turning in her head.

"That's because the _Regina _made it so that Phoenixes know nothing about the outside world and decision making. If they could just know more, they wouldn't need to be so reliant on her."

"It has nothing to do with decision making. Without _lamia _around them, Phoenixes would go crazy. They're addicted and _lamias _are the drug, Phoenixes just don't realize it." Andretti stopped walking.

We had reached the center of the Court, the _Regina's _castle. The doors opened after my entourage held their _ignis _up to the handle. My previous panic had subsided into curiosity. My mind raced with questions as we walked through the halls, most of them about _lamia _and addiction.

At the doors of the _Regina's _throne room, Andretti dismissed Levy. I didn't get to watch her leave as Andretti shoved me into the throne room.

The _Regina _sat in the same place she had the day I ran away. Her eyes never left me as I approached her throne. When I reached the throne, I wasn't going to bow to her, but the two male guards pulled me to the floor with them.

"Dismissed," the_ Regina _commanded to the two male guards. She waited for them to leave before she continued. "Andretti McGarden, you will be rewarded for your success. Until then, you are dismissed. The order is completed, but don't stop keeping an eye on your daughter. She's to stay out of the way."

Andretti nodded, bowed, and retreated to the doorway. She didn't leave the room. Instead, she took up the position as the door's guard.

I had been staring at the _Regina _the whole time. When she finally turned to face me, I could see victory written across her face.

"Look who came back," she taunted. "You won't leave again, I hope you know that. I'll make it so you never see sunlight again. Nobody crosses me without punishment, you hear that? Even Layla, July, and the rest of the damned traitors will get their punishments in the afterlife."

"You punish everyone around you, _Regina,_" I said. She looked at me curiously, "I know that you're sucking Phoenixes lives away. It's not going to stay a secret forever."

I thought the _Regina _would be surprised, but she just flipped her hair over her shoulder and grinned. "I'm not worried about it staying a secret. Nothing is going to change if the people find out. You obviously don't know the whole story, anyways."

"Then tell me."

"I have no reason to. You're my prisoner and I give you the instructions, not the other way around."

"How about a trade? Information for information?"

"What could you possibly know that I don't?" Despite her tone, the _Regina _was intrigued.

"I know where my mom's book is, the book that her and July wrote. It contains the experiment that got them exiled and a handful of other powerful spells." I heard Andretti shift nervously in the background.

Narrowing her eyes, the _Regina _said, "Tell me."

"Only if you tell me the whole story about what you are first," I bargained.

"No. How do I know you won't back out after I share my information?"

"I can't find any way to prove this to you. But remember, I am in the same boat as you. What if I tell my information and you don't follow up on your side of the bargain?"

"Andretti, take her to the dungeon," the _Regina _growled. "I'm not in the mood for this sort of nonsense. I'll pass official judgment on her privately, after you get Heartfilia situated."

Andretti started approaching me. "Wait, wait," I called. "I'm sure we can reach an agreement. This is important stuff, you know. Before, you said that you didn't care if your story remained a secret. It should be no big deal to tell me. My information, on the other hand, is essential to you if you want the book. This isn't good strategy on your part."

The _Regina _seemed to consider me as Andretti grabbed both of my wrists and turned me to march out the door.

"Pause, Andretti," the _Regina _announced. "I've decided to take Heartfilia up on her bargain. If she doesn't follow up on her side, her life in a cell can be become much worse."

My hands stayed drawn behind my back as Andretti breathed down my neck. "Who goes first, me or you?"

"Why, you, of course. I'm sure to follow up on my bargain. You're the sketchy one."

"Fine," I grumbled. Taking a chance, I said the truth. "Marsha has it. The rebel Phoenixes had taken it from me and when Andretti and company burned their building, Marsha grabbed the book and ran. I don't know where she is now, but it couldn't have been far. She had no money to for a place to stay in."

The _Regina _stared me down. After a few moments of an intense stare-off, my story was accepted as true. "What do you not know about _lamia_?" She asked, ready to fulfill her part of the deal.

I gave the _Regina _a quick run down of everything I had heard about her during my escape.

"So you lack knowledge of _lamia _and the addiction? They're such simple parts of the equation that this trade favors me by a land slide, Heartfilia.

"_Lamias,_ in essence, are life suckers. We don't have to do anything to slowly take away life from those around us. The process is constant and sustains us forever. What the process does to the people around _lamia _-besides shorten their life- is to make them dependent.

"_Lamias _call the people they feed off of Fires. These Fires become addicted to their lives being drained even though they aren't aware of the process. As time goes by, a Fire's body begins to produce energy at a faster and faster rate to try and make up for the life sucking. If the life sucking suddenly stopped, the body's fast energy production would continue at its unnatural rate until the Fire overflowed with energy. Then, _poof_. The Fire would literally explode from the inside."

Horrified, I tried to get the image out of my head. "That's disgusting. Why would you let this happen to people? Are you immoral? Unethical?"

"Neither, just surviving. Phoenixes are my food source, like cows are to humans. The cow has to die for the human to eat. It's just nature. You shouldn't be so judgmental anyways. You're half _lamia." _

"What?" I shrieked as my knees went weak.

"Of course you didn't know," the _Regina _rolled her eyes. "Layla probably hid that from you too. She and July were never proud of their heritage. They berated me for accepting what I was."

"My mom… she sucked the life of people?" It couldn't be true.

"Layla and July got themselves into a lot of trouble because they couldn't accept their blood. They whole reason they learned mage magic was to try and use it to stop their bodies from sucking life. It worked, but Layla and July always felt empty. I told them they were wrong for hiding a part of them and that they should be like me but all they did was to tell me that I was a monster and a killer." The _Regina's _eyes looked into the distance.

"Mom didn't enjoy sucking life," that was a relief to hear. "Did she ever do anything about feeling empty?"

The _Regina _snapped out of her distant gaze. "That's enough questions. I answered everything I said I would. My bargain is fulfilled and you will be sentenced to your punishment."

"Wait, just one more thing. Please, it will take two seconds. Do I suck life from people?"

"Definitely not as actively as a full _lamia. _Every week you spend with a person probably takes away a few hours of their life," the _Regina _was amused by this. "If you surround yourself with large groups of people, that number of hours probably drops to a few minutes from each person."

I was glad that I hadn't been taking a lot of life from a large group like Fairy Tail, but I worried about those I had spent time with in small groups. Gray or Natsu may have lost more time than other members of Fairy Tail. As my mind ticked on, I thought of how Loki could have become weaker because of those days we spent alone together. The emotions inside me that were leftover from his death swelled.

Snapping her fingers, the _Regina _ordered Andretti, "Heartfilia is sentenced to life imprisonment in the dungeons. See to it that the anti- _ignis _symbols are in place and her _alae_ are bound. Take away the Celestial keys, too. You are dismissed."

Andretti bowed and pulled me from the room.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

The dungeon was everything that I expected: damp, dark, and disgusting. It was so hard to see that I couldn't tell if any of the other cells were empty or not. My _alae _were immediately bound, along with my hands. Andretti unceremoniously tugged my Celestial keys from my belt and pushed me into the cell.

Locking the door, she said, "Now that you know the truth, maybe you'll understand why things had to work out the way they did. Phoenixes depend on us."

"Us? You're a _lamia _too?"

"Of course I am," Andretti lit a candle and began to put up the anti-_ignis _symbols. "So is Levy, but I can't say she counts. Her _lamia _powers are rather nonexistent and she takes practically no life force. I never told her what she was anyways. It wouldn't have done her any good. She's too weak and remorseful to use her powers fully."

"_Lamias _have powers?" The _Regina _had left a lot out of her story.

Andretti growled, "Read a book, why don't you?" She walked away without another word.

I sat in the darkness without moving. My mind kept replaying my conversation with the _Regina _and, somewhere along the line; I drew the conclusion that if July was a _lamia, _then Marsha is one too. The only question was whether Marsha knew or not.

"Lucy," a voice bounced off the walls.

Startled, I replied carefully, "Yes. Who is it?"

"Don't be an idiot," another voice called out. I was familiar with this voice; it was Neofore, which meant the other one was Sting.

I ignored Neofore's comment and used a pleasant tone, "Nice to see you guys again. At least we're all still alive."

"Neofore and I won't be for long if we stay here," Sting grunted. "We're traitors, you know, and our penalty is death. We need to escape, but Marsha will have our heads if we don't take you with, too."

"Why do you need to go back to Marsha? This is you chance to do things on your own," I reasoned.

"From that conversation with Andretti, I know you just learned about the addiction thing. Neofore and I are way past the point of getting over it. We need to be around Marsha or else we'll die."

I thought it over, "You could stay by me. I'm half _lamia."_

It was Neofore's turn to explain, but he was a lot less delicate. "Listen up, because your questions are getting ridiculous. You're half _lamia, _sure, but only half. Sting and I are too far into the addiction to survive around you. We'd blow up anyways; the only difference is that is would take a little longer. Plus, you're just a fucking idiot. Sting and I captured you, took you to our leader, and declared that we would kill you, so now you want to try and save us? I swear, the year I spent teaching you was like teaching a rock."

"That's a little rude," Sting commented. "Especially because we need her help to get out."

"What is she supposed to do? Her _ignis _is bound, her keys are locked away _and _useless, and her _lamia _powers are nonexistent." The way Neofore described me, I sounded useless.

I took this chance to ask about _lamia _powers.

Even though I couldn't see him, I was positive Neofore rolled his eyes at me. "They aren't real powers. They're more like expansions of what you can already do. A full _lamia _has unbelievable speed, _ignis _that doesn't need symbols, the ability to sense someone around them, and a few have special abilities that range from levitation to mind control."

I realized that Neofore was right, I was useless. I couldn't do any of that, but that _lamia _I had met so far had never done those things either. I asked why.

"These aren't things that can be used easily," Neofore explained. "_Lamia _can turn them on and off, but, except in dire emergency, these powers stay off. They take up large amounts of energy that leave the user tired out in a matter of minutes. In the end, it's easier to not use the powers unless the battle is easily won. If the battle is easily won, there is no point in using the powers anyways. A _lamia's _powers are more for show and rank. The _Regina _is on top because she can influence people's decisions, for instance. Layla had an innate ability for knowing the past of anything, whether it was human or plant."

"Enough chatting, now," Sting complained. "We need to get out of here. I would like to keep my head attached to my body, not chopped off and rolling on the floor."

"What's the plan, then?" I said. Sting met the words with silence. "Exactly. Getting out of this cell isn't enough, either. I need my Celestial keys back."

"Damn it. I wish we could leave you behind," Neofore said. For once, I was glad Marsha wanted me in her hands.

I had no escape plans, so I asked questions that could spark an idea. "Are there any guard rotations? I bet all the guards carry keys. Someone has to come down here eventually."

"That's where you're wrong," Sting said. "Except for when Andretti brought you down, we haven't seen anyone. It's possible that they're planning to let us starve down here."

"That would be a waste," a new voice entered the room. "The _Regina _isn't stupid enough to waste a chance to get information from you guys."

In the dim light, I wasn't able to see the speaker. The voice was familiar, however.

"Loki," I exclaimed. His face peaked at me between the cell bars. "But you're dead!"

To the best of my ability, I looked Loki over for signs of injury. He radiated health and good hygiene, unlike the rest of us. Something about Loki was off, however, and it may have had something to do with the impeccable suit he wore.

"I killed you," Sting yelled. I ignored the pride in his voice. "If you're a ghost, do us a favor and haunt the _Regina _till she lets us go."

Loki sighed and reached into his suit pocket. Out came two sets of keys; Loki tossed one of them to me.

They were my Celestial keys.

"I have a lot to tell you," Loki used the other keys to unlock my cell, "But not here. First, we have to escape."

Loki grabbed my hand and led me out of the cell. He pulled me towards the exit but I held him back and stared at Sting and Neofore's cell.

Reading my mind, Loki swore lightly. "You're seriously thinking about taking them with us?"

"They don't deserve this," I countered. "The _Regina _will kill them eventually."

"They tried to hurt you," Loki exclaimed. "They almost killed me."

Neofore yelled from his cell. "Don't bother arguing about this. Unless you're taking us to a full _lamia, _we will die anyways."

Loki -relieved that he was given permission to leave the men behind- grabbed my wrist again and started to take me towards the door. On impulse I jerked my hand away; pick-pocketed the keys Loki had, and opened the men's cell door before Loki could stutter in surprise.

"I see you can use _lamia _powers. Whether you meant to or not is a different story," Sting grinned.

Breathless, I handed the jail keys back to Loki.

"Just come with us and I'll get you back to Marsha," I claimed, despite having no idea how to do it.

Sting shrugged and stepped out of the cell, but Neofore showed more reluctance before he joined us.

"Fine, if you're not going to listen to me, I'll get over it. However, I'm not saving either of you if you get caught," Loki forced himself to be calm. "Let's get moving now. This has taken too long."

We stepped as quietly as we could towards the exit with Loki in the lead. When we reached the door, Loki slowly set his hand and the knob and twisted it slowly. We all flinched as it squeaked.

The door was slammed open. Loki's arm retreated and I tensed.

"Fuck," the three men chorused.

Levy was frozen in the doorway, gaping at us. She slowly thawed out and closed her mouth, but the rest of us were stuck in stupid shock. We had gotten caught so quickly.

"Move out of the way, Levy," Loki growled.

Her face turned frantic. "You have to hear me out. I'm not going to lock you back up, I swear. I didn't know what I was doing before."

"What do you mean?" I pushed Loki aside so that I stood at the front of the pack.

"I found out what I am. My mom told me when I confronted her about you. She said that I was weak and we were both cursed to suck the life out of those around us. Mom didn't say cursed, though. She said blessed but all I could hear was evil, evil, evil," Levy rushed to say.

"Why did you betray me?" I coiled, ready to spring if the answer was false.

Levy was reluctant. "Mom said you were a threat. If you didn't come back, everyone at the Court would be put in danger. When I confronted her today, the story changed. She said you couldn't fall into the enemy's hands or else the _Regina _would be killed. She told me all about the past with your mom and July and the book they made. She called them disgusting for not accepting who they were. I couldn't believe her. Everything she said about you and Layla was so wrong."

"What's the point of all this chitchat?" Neofore said. He tried to push past Loki, but Loki held out his arm.

"Hold on. What does all of this mean for us?" Loki questioned.

Levy assessed us carefully. "I'm going to help you escape."

I processed this quickly. We were in a hurry, so I didn't want to debate things out. Instead, I chose the route of acceptance. It wasn't a hard one for me to choose; even though Levy betrayed us, she was trying to atone for it.

"Forgive and forget," Sting shrugged. He moved for the door with Neofore in tow.

"You guys are too easygoing," Loki shook his head. Levy watched him stoically. "She turned you in before. You could be heading to your deaths right now. Who knows when guards will show up? We can get out ourselves."

Neofore sighed, a long and annoyed kind of sigh. "Listen up, dead guy. We're going to die, anyways, if we don't escape. This girl is offering a get out of jail free card and you're being a cautious ass. If she turns on us, then we fight. Don't be such a sissy, or can you not hit a girl?"

"Hurry up, please," Levy was polite despite the situation. "Mom wanted to start questioning soon. We need to leave while it's still light out."

Neofore pushed Loki forward and we surged through the door. My eyes blinked and adjusted in the brightness of the Court.

Rather casually, Levy led us down a side hallway of the castle.

"Wouldn't it make more sense to escape when it was dark? And maybe be a little stealthier than walking out in the open?" Loki traveled at the back of the pack with his arms crossed, nursing his wounded ego.

From living here, I knew the answer to this question. "Day time is when everyone is at their jobs. The only people around are the young children and message runners. If it were nighttime, people would be milling around everywhere."

"Shouldn't we be looking out for the message runners?" Loki asked.

"Well, yes," Levy answered. She wasn't worried, "but they won't be much of a fight. The problems won't begin until you start passing guard posts, so calm down."

"The only time we would have to worry about anyone was if it was Friday," I added. "That's when older adults get half the day off work."

Levy froze. I watched as she slowly clenched her jaw and turned to face me. All of the color had drained from her face.

"It's Friday," she whispered.

We broke into a run. It was a strange run, since we tried to be silent yet speedy. Levy brought us down hallways unfamiliar to me and we turned so many times I thought we were going in a circle.

A clock on the wall stuck out to me and I whisper-yelled to Levy, "There are five minutes till the adults are out. We can be out of the castle by then, right? Once in the town area, we will be safer."

"You don't understand, Lucy," she panted. "Everyone knows you guys are here. When they see two guys with black wings, a mage in a suit, and a mini Layla, they will call the entire guard on us. You have to get out of here in five minutes."

"What about you? Won't you get in trouble for helping us?"

"I got you into this mess. So, shut up and let me get you out," Levy sped up her run.

"How are we supposed to escape in time?" Sting asked. He was tired, but not breathing heavy. "By the looks of things, we're screwed. Don't say anything, dead man." Sting shot Loki a dirty look.

"I have an idea, though," Loki glanced at my Celestial Keys. "Lucy could call out a celestial spirit, Aquarius, and have her flood the place. That would let us escape."

"No!" I reprimanded Loki. "There are innocent people here."

Levy slowed her run to a jog, "Loki might be on the right track here."

"You can't mean you agree with him?" I was shocked.

"No, no, that's not what I mean." Levy clarified, "July and Layla dabbled in mage magic and they had an underground lab here in the Court. What if they have something to help us?"

"That can't even be considered a gamble," Neofore pointed out. "It's just called being fucking crazy. You can't base our lives on the thought that their _might _be _something _in a place that none of us have ever seen before."

Subdued, Loki said, "I have seen it."

All of us stopped running and stared at Loki.

"You're just full of fucking surprises," Neofore's harsh words seemed well timed.

"I didn't think you would be willing to go there," Loki talked faster, "Since it's the place that began this entire mess."

"I don't care what kind of place it is," I told Loki, "But we shouldn't go if we're not positive there is something there to help us."

"There is. I hadn't said it before because I thought Levy was running away with us, but, by the sound of it, she's staying here."

"What's that have to do with anything?" Sting said, strangely calm.

Loki explained, "There's this mirror that transports you anywhere but, for it to work, someone has to stay on the side of the mirror to power it."

"Sounds good enough for me," Levy decided. "Do you know where the lab is?"

Loki nodded and led us in a sprint in the opposite direction. We followed him, heaving and sweaty. I glanced at a clock, which seemed to be moving unnaturally fast. We had wasted two full minutes talking.

After eternity of sharp turns and endless hallways, we arrived at an orange tapestry. It was unremarkable in every possible way. Loki lifted the fringed edges of it, which revealed a rainbow pattern of bricks.

With lightning speed, Loki tapped the bricks in a long, complicated order. Each one made a sound like a music note upon his touch until he slowly pulled his hand away.

"Everyone put their hand on the bricks," he ordered. We complied, practically stacking ourselves on top of each other to fit.

All I could hear was our hard breathing, waiting and praying for it to work. A loud bell went off; the signal that the older adults could stop working. My body tensed with panic.

Then, I couldn't hear anything.

**Thanks to the following for reviewing the previous chapter- moocow4me, L'Azure Assassina, allie (guest), Haru (guest), and Forever Kingdom. Your reviews brightened my day!**

**A/N- This chapter, the next one, and especially the one after (chapter 16) are really hard for me to write. (Well, I haven't started 16 yet. I made the word document for it.) They include lots of action, which I can't just blindly write. I need to sit down and think about each action and sometimes I get too much into thinking and not enough into writing.**

**Rambling A/N- I posted this chapter because of my startlingly good mood on a Sunday morning. It may be because I'm SUPER EXCITED to be dancing at a benefit concert later in the day. Besides loving to dance, I get to do it for a good cause and wear a cute dress. Extra bonus- today is Greek Easter and (despite me not being Greek) I get to have Greek food for dinner. If you're not totally in love with Greek food like I am… I guess you're entitled to your own opinion. Please review! **


	15. Chapter 15

**An earthquake on Dec. 16, 1811 caused parts of the Mississippi River to flow backwards!**

**It is estimated that millions of trees in the world are accidentally planted by squirrels who bury nuts and then forget where they hid them!**

"If I get reincarnated…. I wanna become a clam."  
Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece)

"The ocean is so salty because everyone pees in it."  
Son Goku (Dragon Ball Z)

I was weightless for a moment before I crashed towards the ground. My fall was broken by my fellow escapees, who groaned under the weight.

"Get off me," Sting elbowed me away. We took a moment to stand and to get our bearings.

The room was a mess. Crammed into a small space were crashed bottles and spilled liquids. I had to cover my nose to block out the horrid smell of chemicals. Broken shelves of books and test tubes lined the walls, while a square wooden table filled the center of the room. There was no light source, but the room emitted a faint yellow glow.

At the back of the room was a mirror. Except for a small crack along the top, the mirror was clean and well kept; however, it was rather plain. I expected something more grandiose.

Levy approached the mirror and ran a finger along the crack. "Is this what we need? I can't feel any latent power inside it. Are you sure it's a magical mirror?"

"It's only magical by definition. What makes it so unique is that power flows through it, but cannot be built up or stored. Basically, the mirror acts like a conductor of magic, which is why someone has to power it," Loki explained. "That's also why no one has found it."

Sting, who had picked up a cracked bottle and played with it absentmindedly, sighed loudly. "Thanks, but I didn't ask for the magic lesson. All I want is to get out of here. Tell the girl how to use the mirror already."

"Why are you in such a hurry?" I asked. Sting's lips moved to answer, but the bottle he held slipped out of his hand. As it hit the floor, I put my hands up to protect myself from the flying glass.

The walls shook.

Books fell off the wall.

Broken glass was smashed to dust.

Smoke filled the air.

"I didn't do it," Sting held his hands up in surrender.

"It wasn't you," Loki confirmed. He gritted his teeth, "the Court is under attack. That blast was from magic, can't you feel it?"

"Marsha is attacking the Court?" I panicked and glanced at Levy, who was using a table to keep her self steady. If we left the Court now, Levy would be left alone to endure the battle.

Neofore spoke up sourly, "No. It's not Marsha."

"Then who is it?" I demanded. "The only person who would want to attack the Court is Marsha. They don't have any other enemies."

"That's not necessarily true," Levy said. "The _Regina _has angered one other group of people, whether she knew it or not."

"Fairy Tail," Loki said. "They've come to save their friend."

It took a moment for me to realize what Loki meant. "That's impossible. Fairy Tail doesn't even know about Phoenixes. Besides, even if they did, they had no way of making sure I was taken by them. They're not that rash."

Loki and Levy simply stared at me.

I gave into the stares, "So they might be rash. Who would have told them about the Court, though? Surely I gave nothing away and Loki couldn't have said anything. To Fairy Tail, Loki is still dead."

"Master," Loki said. "He's the only one that knew about you, right? My guess is that he had a hunch what had happened and, in a fit of worry, he told the guild your secrets so he could rally them up and save you."

My world crashed around me. "He told them my secrets? They'll know I was lying?" I held my head in my hands. "Now they'll hate me. I lied even after they were all so kind to me." The faces of my friends flashed across my eyes. Each one held eyes that couldn't bear to look at me. I shivered.

"Calm down," Neofore chided. "You can't be sure that it's them. Let's just get out of here."

"No!" I shouted. "What if Loki is right? They're fighting for me again. Even though they're probably mad, they came to fight. No matter how much I don't want to face their anger, we can't abandon them."

Neofore stood taller, "Oh yeah? And what do you think you're going to do to help? You're not much use on the battle field."

"I'll do what I can to make up for betraying my friend's trust," I clenched my fist. Loki touched my shoulder gently.

"I think you're underestimating the bonds of Fairy Tail," he said softly.

Levy cut in, "If she's adamant about helping, she should help. Instead of sending her to the guild, I could send her directly outside the castle where she could join the fighting."

I mouthed thank you, trying to radiate gratitude to my old friend.

"Let's get moving. If we're joining the fight, I want to fight the strong ones," Sting said, almost too eager.

"You're coming with?" I asked.

"Of course. So is Neofore, right?" Sting volunteered Neofore, who sighed, but didn't complain.

"We have our plan, so let's move out," Loki said. I squeezed his hand quickly. "Levy, the mirror is simple to use. Activate your powers, imagine where you want to send us, and place your hand on the mirror. The rest of us put our hands on the glass and prepare to land on the ground."

As we squished to fit all our hands on the glass, I turned to Loki. "So, what is that plan you just mentioned?"

Loki grinned, "Go in and start smacking around anything that's not on our side." Sting hooted in agreement. To my right, Levy closed her eyes. I could feel the surge of power going from her hand to the mirror grow steadily as the world began to blur.

"Stay safe," she whispered.

For the second time that day, I was weightless.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x. .x.x.x.x. .x.

I found the ground with zero difficulty. As I stood, I could see smoke rising from the Court and bursts of magic that highlighted the air.

"We're on the very edge of the Court," I said. "The fastest way to the middle of the action will be to fly."

Then I remembered that Loki couldn't fly. I gazed at him steadily and tried to find a way to defy gravity.

I began, "We could always-"

"I'll run," Loki cut in. "You were right, flying is the fastest way. Don't give me that look, Lucy."

I sighed, but unfurled my _alae._ Sting let out a cry of excitement as he and Neofore did the same.

We launched into the air, Loki following in the back. It wasn't long before we flew over the middle sector of the Court. At one point, when my eyes could no longer handle staring into the wind, I looked down.

Under me, Phoenixes were fleeing to the edge of the Court. Male, female, young, and old ran or flew near the ground with frightened faces. They would go no farther than the edge since beyond was too unknown. Only Guards by Blood would stay behind to fight.

With dread, I recalled how little Fairy Tail knew about the Court. Who knew if they could tell which Phoenixes were fighters or innocent residents? Their devastating attack styles would harm anyone nearby, not just the Guards they were supposed to fight. I pushed on, but amped up my speed.

We landed in front of the castle; Loki was not far behind. The door had been blown open, leaving rubble in its wake. We picked through it carefully. The cries and booms of battle were getting closer.

Officially inside the castle, I recognized the irony: we had tried so hard to escape and all I did was run right back. That didn't matter now because the castle was a wreck. All of the brightly colored tapestries and carpets were charred. Anything decorative was smashed.

The wall on my right exploded. I used my wrists to block my face and coughed the dust out of my lungs. Even after the debris settled, my ears were ringing from the noise.

Two figures were relentlessly fighting, not even acknowledging that they destroyed a wall. One was Gray, who, besides enough bruises to last a lifetime, looked no worse for wear. The other was Andretti. She breathed heavily and her motions were slow.

Gray yelled something unintelligible and an ice lance appeared in his hand. He launched it at Andretti, who narrowly dodged it with a cut on her arm. Andretti was trying to summon some _ignis_. Her body radiated heat, a side effect of overusing _ignis._ The battle would be over soon and I watched, mesmerized, as Gray went into close combat with her. He wasn't graceful, but his punches were purposeful and strong. Andretti took lots of hits that she should have been able to block.

Andretti finally collapsed to the floor after a punch to the stomach. Blood lined the corner of her mouth, but she would live. Exhaustion had taken her over.

Gray noticed us and smiled, "Hey Lucy. What are you doing out of jail? Who are they…? Holy shit. Loki? Or are you Loki's long lost twin?"

I tried to speak, but Gray's pleasant words were in stark contrast to what I expected. Maybe the fighting had messed with his brain and made him forget my lies?

Loki took over for me. "There's no time for that right now. Everything can be explained later. We need to find Master and get everyone to pull back. Lucy's fine and innocent people here might be hurt."

"Uh, yes, okay… He said he was going to the main hall to find the _Regina_," Gray said, never taking his eyes off of Loki.

"Thanks, man," Loki smiled. "Can you get everyone you can to make it to the main hall? The sooner we can get together and retreat, the better."

Gray nodded yes and ran through the hole in the wall he had created. The four of us took off towards the main hall.

Seconds seemed to stretch on forever until we were in reach of our destination. There, a troop of Guards stood between us and the main hall. We immediately took cover behind a wall and prayed they hadn't seen us yet. The Guards greatly outnumbered us and I glanced frantically at my companions. Loki was analyzing the Guards carefully. Sting, however, was in no mood for analyzing.

He sprinted around the corner after whispering, "We can distract them for you. C'mon, Neofore, time to kick some ass."

Neofore, who didn't have a decision in the matter, grabbed his Mohawk in frustration and charged after Sting. They frantically blasted their dark _ignis _at the Guards. The Guards, after getting over an initial shock, drew the signs for _ignis _on their palms. Most were signs that I was unfamiliar with, so they had to be high level.

Sting relentlessly wielded his fists and often charged his punches with his _ignis. _Neofore stood closer to us and tossed _ignis _with dead accuracy. Their advantage was also in their surprise, which kept Guards from using a pre-planned formation.

"We can run now," Loki urged. "The Guards are distracted enough."

I didn't get a chance to respond. Loki grabbed my wrist and pulled me to the main hall. Guards spotted us, of course, and shouted to protect the main hall, but Sting and Neofore kept their attention.

The main hall was in the same condition as the rest of the castle, but much quieter. The _Regina _stumbled around herself in the center of the room. Her dress was torn, her hair was matted to her head with sweat, and a deep red cut extended across her forehead.

"Master!" I cried. He was slouched in a corner with his eyes squeezed shut. Immediately, I dashed to him and checked all of his vital signs. They all said he was still alive, but the way his left leg was turned at an unnatural angle worried me.

"Master!" I called once again. Frantically, I said to him, "Wake up, it's me, Lucy. I'm sorry you're so hurt! We have to get out of here right now before the _Regina-"_

"Lucy," Loki interrupted.

"What?" I growled and pulled Master closer to me.

"Look." He pointed to the _Regina _in the center of the room.

There was another person in the room who I hadn't noticed before. Her face wasn't visible, yet I could tell who it was.

Marsha.

Compared to the _Regina _and Master, Marsha was the epitome of health as she faced the _Regina._

Tucked under Marsha's arm was _Deligati Ad Libertas. _

"They said she wouldn't be here," I referred to Sting and Neofore.

"They could have lied," Loki said. "Or they could have no idea that Marsha's here. Either way, it doesn't matter now. We have to get out of here before Marsha tries to attack us."

"We need to get my mom's book back!" I protested.

"Not right now. With Layla's book, Marsha could beat us in a second. We need Master in full health to even have a chance." Loki's argument was logical, but I didn't want him to be right.

_Bang_

My head whipped to the center of the room where the _Regina _crumbled into a pile on the floor. Blood poured from somewhere near her stomach. I gagged at the sight. Marsha, however, bent over and whispered something to the _Regina. _Marsha then opened the book and rifled through the pages until she found a passage that she read in a whisper. I watched as the _Regina's _breathing became frantic and shallow. Her chest rose and fell in irregular patterns. Loki gently picked up Master and tried to get me to turn away from the scene. We walked slowly to leave, but I didn't take my eyes off of Marsha.

A static shock seemed to go through the room. I shivered. The pool of blood around the _Regina _evaporated. Marsha stood up and looked my way. I stopped moving. Sting and Neofore came running into the room and shuddered to a stop when they saw Marsha.

The only sound was the _Regina's _hurried breathing.  
All we did was watch her breathe.

Then her breathing stopped.

It seemed unreal at first. In my eyes, the _Regina _had always been undefeatable. No matter how much I hated her, I knew she was stronger than anyone else I had come across.

Marsha's features morphed in a smile. "The Court is under my control now. All we need for a future is tomorrow."

I was frozen to the spot.

"Sting, Neofore, come to my side," Marsha commanded. They obeyed, but their walking was jerky like they were being forced. Neofore was stoic. Sting's eyes betrayed everything: he didn't want to fight us; we would lose; run. Master let out a strangled breath and I knew we could lose him if he didn't get medical attention.

Marsha turned her back to us and set her eyes on the _Regina's _throne.

The world ended.

x.x.x.x.x. .x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

The world didn't literally end, but that was what it felt like. The walls around me crumbled to pieces as dust made it impossible to see and my ears made an awful ringing noise. The smell was that of smoke.

A hand wrapped around my wrist and began to lead me away. I didn't know who this was. It wasn't Loki, but the person's grip was gentle, which I took as a sign to trust them.

The person guided me over a crumbled wall until we were outside. The dust was thinner and I could faintly make out a large group of people, but no distinct faces.

"We got them," the person yelled to the group. "Move out!"

The group responded with excited yells before running in a pack towards the Court's exit. I ran without a second thought, instead letting my brain catch up with the surprises.

The person who had saved me was female. Her voice echoed confidence and leadership, something I had only heard with one other person. Erza.

Without stopping my sprint, I checked out the people around me.

They were Fairy Tail.

Leading the group was Erza, Gray, Natsu and Loki with Master in his arms. Everyone else blended together behind them with me, Mirajane, and Wendy pulling up the rear. As one, we plowed through the entire Court with no resistance.

I couldn't decide if I wanted to laugh or cry. I was saved, Master would be okay, and the Guild would learn that Loki was alive, which was great, but what would happen to all of the innocent Phoenixes left in the Court?

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

Once we cleared the Court, everyone stopped. Wendy rushed to look Master over while Loki and I were greeted in a flurry of "I'm glad you're back"'s and "That was exciting, let's do it again"'s. It was impossible for me to keep track of all the people talking to me. I couldn't even hear what was going on with Loki, except that he promised to tell everyone what had happened when we got back to the Guild.

When it felt like every member of Fairy Tail had talked to me, I sat on the ground a little away from the group. My mind was blank and I barely registered Loki when he sat next to me.

"So…" Loki said after a few moments of silence. "How do you think our little adventure went over?"

I looked at the ground and pulled out my Celestial keys, stroking them absent mindedly. "Horribly. Fairy Tail probably hates me now, the _Regina _died, and Marsha took the Court over with mom's book."

"Shouldn't we be glad the _Regina _is gone?"

"I think so," I shrugged. "I can't decide if Marsha or the _Regina _is worse."

"We'll stop her." Loki confidence made me look up, startled.

"How come you're so sure?"

"I just know things, like I know Fairy Tail doesn't hate you."

"They just didn't like the thought of me dying after being under their watch."

"They saved our sorry butts because they're our friends. They're not mad at you, okay? Just believe me. They might not understand why you lied, but they understand that you must have done it for a good reason."

I traced the Celestial key that I had found when I thought Loki had died. "Are you going to tell me why you're not dead, now? And all of the other things I wanted to know before you disappeared?"

He was watching the key intently. I waved a hand in front of his face, which made him snap backwards and ask me what I said. I repeated the question.

Loki didn't take his eyes off of the key, "When we get back to the guild, I'll tell you and everyone else at once. I promise."

Before I could prod for more information, it was time to move on.

"Ready to go home, Lucy?" Natsu yelled out of nowhere and bounced towards me. He grabbed my hand and led me to the front of the group with Erza, Gray, and Loki.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

The trip back to the guild was a blur. Natsu left his spot in front of the group to be loud and obnoxious with those behind us, but the remaining four of us were silent. Loki and I dragged our feet as we walked. When Magnolia came into view, we sped up.

The day's adventures caught up with me when I entered Fairy Tail. All my friends rushed in different directions: Master was forced to bed rest, bruised mages lined up near Wendy for healing, and the rest of them grabbed alcohol and a seat. I stayed near the door, unsure of where to go. I was exhausted, physically and mentally, but I had a story to tell.

Gray brushed by me.

"It's good to have you back even if you do look like death was on your doorstep," he greeted. "This might be abrupt and I'm sure you haven't even thought about it yet, but Natsu and I made another bet and… well… We were wondering if you could use your wings to fly and do a flip for us."

That wasn't what I expected him to say.

"A flip?" I echoed. I had never thought about doing such a thing before. "Which one of you thinks I know how to do that?"

"Natsu," he sighed. "He bet me three days of food money when we were walking here because he thinks flying and flipping automatically go together. It was a desperate bet, really, since he's broke."

I laughed. It wasn't that funny, but it was the funniest thing I had heard all day. I couldn't stop laughing and my stomach began to hurt. Clenching my sides, the world blurred a little and Gray asked what was funny.

When I wiped stray tears away and flushed out the last of my giggles, the weariness in my bones evaporated. I knew I was ready to tell my story.

"Gray," I practically sang. "It doesn't matter. However, they're not called wings. They're _alae."_

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

I then told the guild my story. It seemed well received. The entire guild gathered around, and comments and questions flew from left and right. I left no truth untold. When it came to parts of the story that Loki hadn't told me yet, Loki would sigh and say that he would get his turn next.

"It's incredible," Mirajane commented at the end. "Such a large society has been kept a secret for so long."

Natsu leapt up, "And they should stay that way. Then, we can have all the fighting with them to ourselves." Numerous shouts of agreement followed. They would get their chance to fight the Court again soon.

Fairy Tail quieted back down for Loki's turn. Loki, after being prompted by the male members of the guild, stood on a table to tell his story.

"I should have died," he started. "To understand why I didn't, you need to know that I'm not just a mage. I'm the Celestial Spirit. Leo, the Lion." He paused. No one moved. "By the time Lucy and I ran into Sting and Neofore, I was on my way to dying already. It's because I had broken a fundamental law of the Spirits: do not kill your master."

I was the only one that gasped.

Loki continued. "I only ask that you listen to the whole story before you make judgments about me. I was Layla's Celestial Spirit for years. She had found me when she sneaked out of the Court and got in a fight with a Celestial mage. The mage gave her the key after Layla won the fight and I was brought to the Court. I was the first key Layla found, so I stayed in the key until she learned how to summon me. From there, she collected more keys until giving her key ring to Lucy."

My hand felt the keys at my waist. Suddenly, they had all become more than just a present; they were a life line from Mom.

"I was told everything about the Court, but I rarely got chances to see much besides Layla's secret room because we couldn't afford to get caught. Layla and I, along with July and the rest of the rebellion, spent long hours practicing in the secret room."

The word _rebellion _startled me. It had never occurred to me that that was what mom was doing.

"I helped them create and perfect that book, _Deligati Ad Libertas. _We thought we knew what we were doing. We knew the book was dangerous, but figured that it didn't matter how dangerous anything was as long as we saved the Phoenixes. Everything was going fine until one day," Loki glanced at my Celestial keys and then at the Guild, "Lucy's father found us."

Everyone stared at me as I tensed up. I had never thought about my father before. In the Court, people didn't get married. They had children and went their separate ways, leaving the female to take care of the child and the male to run free. The role of a father was considered useless.

"His name was Jude," Loki said. "He loved Layla and she returned his feelings, but Jude was incredibly loyal to the _Regina. _Layla hid all of her work from him because she didn't know if he would be able to choose her over the _Regina. _One day, Jude found Layla's work and reported it. The _Regina _demanded that he, personally, take hold of her Celestial keys. Her plan was to take away all of Layla's weapons and then strike.

"Jude stole the keys from Layla, which meant he got a hold of me. I never found out how, but he also learned to summon me. I refused to do anything he said, yet this never bothered him. Celestial spirits and mage magic in general, were considered inferior to _ignis._

"Layla was already pregnant with Lucy when the keys disappeared. The rebels were counting down the days till they would pull off their big move. When the day came, the large spell they had created went horribly wrong and resulted in black _alae _and _ignis,_ sickness, and lots of death. The rebels who weren't dead tried to escape. July, who had also become pregnant at the time, escaped with Layla. On their way out, they ran into Jude, who was ordered to stop and kill them. Jude couldn't stand the thought of Layla dying, but he also couldn't live a life knowing he disobeyed his orders. In front of July and Layla, Jude asked me to kill him. Jude didn't know that, since he was in possession of my keys and therefore considered my master, I couldn't kill him without large repercussions to myself. But… you guys weren't there, so I don't think you would understand. The look on his face was desperate and Jude was never desperate. Layla pleaded me not to do it because she knew the law, but Jude said to me that he couldn't live with either of his choices and that he wanted to die with his last shred of dignity, which meant being killed by someone else's hand."

Loki ran a hand through his hair. "I did what Jude wanted. I killed him. Layla and July got away. The last thing Layla said to me as that she would name her daughter Lucy and, if I ever met her, would I please take care of her like I did Layla. I didn't get a chance to see Layla or July again. My punishment for killing Jude was exile from the spirit realm. When a spirit exists outside of the spirit realm for too long, they begin to die. That's what I've been doing for the last 17 years: dying.

"Now, you guys know that I joined Fairy Tail and all the stuff I did until Lucy arrived. I kept an eye on her, but my time was almost up. When the fight with Sting and Neofore came around, I was fading away. When I only had minutes left, Sting sent out a blast of energy that I could have -should have- been able to stop. Right before it hit me, I found myself in the spirit realm. The Celestial king was there, and he talked about how I broke the law and I shouldn't be there. Then, he did the strangest thing. He looked me over and said that Lucy had sent me there. If I had a friend with enough strength and love for me, who could unconsciously save my life by breaking through to the spirit realm, then I must not be that bad of a guy. The Celestial king granted me a pardon for the law. After that, I was stuck in the realm for a little while. My energy was depleted, so I rested. I prayed that Lucy had picked up my key when I disappeared and, as luck would have it, she did. I recovered just in time to help her get out of the Court and now we are here."

The guild was speechless.

"You guys okay?" Master hobbled down the stairs. "You look like we ran out of alcohol… We didn't, right?"

Mirajane rushed up to Master and the large bubble of tense that had surrounded the guild popped. "Master, you need to be lying down," Mirajane scolded. She tried to coax him back up to his room.

With the guild distracted, I was left to digesting Loki's story. It was almost too much for me to handle. Erza swept towards me, looking excited.

"Our next battle is quickly approaching," Erza stated.

"What do you mean?" I asked. "We're just started getting over the last one."

Erza sat next to me. "This is Fairy Tail. We're always ready for the next fight. Anyway, we can't leave those innocent Phoenixes under that Marsha girl's rule. Unless you thought you were going to save the Court by yourself, which is ridiculous."

"I'm still shocked from today. Anyways, we can't just go rushing into the Court without a plan. I know this is Fairy Tail and that's what we do, but the Phoenixes need a replacement _lamia_. Where will we find someone to take that place?"

"Why don't you do it?" Erza said.

I shot that idea down. "No way in hell. Even if I wanted to, I'm only half _lamia. _The only full _lamia_ I know that could do the job is Levy."

Erza asked me why Levy couldn't be the next _Regina_.

I couldn't think of an answer.

**Thanks for reading!**

**A/N- There are 14 more days of school and counting. Summer is around the corner and weather is as bipolar as ever. That doesn't mean Fanfiction comes to a halt. NEVER! It means Fanfiction writes will be in full swing because we have nothing else to do!**

**Also, I have a pool. I will be swimming in the pool. I will be writing by the pool while trying to tell myself that I should be active in the pool.**

**What will happen in the next chapter?**

**I know already. You should be excited.**


	16. Chapter 16

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving."  
― Albert Einstein

"Reality continues to ruin my life."  
― Bill Watterson, _The Complete Calvin and Hobbes_

Ernest Vincent Wright wrote a novel, "Gadsby", which contains over 50,000 words - none of them with the letter _E_!

I spent the next few weeks lounging around. Master was almost finished moving down the road to recovery and the Guild was perpetually drunk and rowdy. I was given a complementary room in the dorms, but Master claimed that it wasn't permanent. I needed to get on my feet and start earning jewels. However, to do that, I had to go on jobs. To go on jobs meant I had to improve my fighting skills.

Thus, Loki pulled me away from the Guild for a little while every day to drill the basics of being a Celestial mage into my head and a thing or two about my whip. The training was limited since Loki had to spend a lot of time in the Celestial realm to continue recovering.

One day, while wandering towards the dorms, a searing pain shot up my left arm. It shocked me enough to send me to my knees and I stayed there until it passed. Breathless, I stood up and continued to the dorms, but I didn't understand where the pain had come from.

Against my better judgment, I ignored it.

The day drifted by until it was dark. I was sitting on my bed reading a book from Mirajane when my stomach rumbled. It wasn't a hungry rumble; it resembled a roaring fire, desperate to leap into the air. I threw the book aside and doubled over as tears welled in my eyes. A squeak escaped my lips.

As my vision blurred, someone knocked on my door. I couldn't move, but the knocking persisted and a voice yammered on excitedly. Desperate for the pain to stop, I tried to call the person for help. All that escaped was small croak.

I tried again and the croak was a little louder.

It wasn't loud enough.

Pain consumed me and I dug my nails into my palm. The world spun, something went _thud _and for some reason I was on the floor. Someone screamed, maybe it was me, and the door burst off the hinges and onto the floor. Pink, black, red, orange, and blue hair flooded the room. They surrounded me.

"Get her to Wendy," the red haired person ordered.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x. .x.x.x.x.x.x

I was picked up and pulled through a desert of death. Not really, but, for all I knew, I could have been. It was hot, I remembered that, and my stomach was like a menstrual cramp on steroids. There was a lot of screaming, which, I was ashamed to admit, was me.

At one point, I was set on a bed. The rest of my memory went dark, so I assumed I was knocked out.

Waking up was horrible. My mind became alert right away. The rest of my body was taking its sweet time, so I couldn't get my eyes to open. My ears were working just fine, though.

"She's not sick?" A male- Gray- asked.

"Not in the way that you think," Wendy answered. I heard items being moved around. "There's nothing wrong with her immune system. Her body is reacting from an exposure to something. My guess is a side effect from her time being kidnapped or…"

Trailing through a list of things that happened to me, I ruled out everything before Wendy dished out her second hypothesis.

"Or," Wendy continued, "She's allergic to magic."

I gasped and bolted upright. My body shook and a migraine settled in. Wendy rushed over to me, gently mumbling that I had to rest, before making me lay down again. The migraine receded.

"You heard that, huh?" Gray remarked. He came closer to my bedside.

I nodded. "But it's just a theory, right? Wendy, you're not positive?" My voice was a croak.

Wendy looked towards the floor.

"Wendy?" I prompted.

"I need to run some tests…" She trailed off.

"Wendy!" My voice died off.

"Ninety percent positive," she said, startled.

I collapsed further into the bed. There was a ten percent chance she was wrong, I told myself. She had to run tests, so I shouldn't freak out until then. Despite relaxed feelings, Fairy Tail was approaching crunch time. Erza and Master had been meeting periodically to discuss their plans for attacking the Court. There had been talk of a guild wide training camp where I would teach them about _ignis. _Nothing was final, but we had to attack soon. Marsha still needed to organize the Court after the chaos she caused. We would battle them before she could finish. I had to be there.

"How come this hasn't shown up before?" Gray asked.

Wendy sighed, "Lucy has never been around magic this long before. Even before she was captured, she hadn't been here for more than a few days. Now, she has been around magic continuously for weeks."

The room was quiet.

"Lucy," Wendy said, "If it's okay with you, I would like to run some tests. I might be able to find a way to give you some kind of medicine."

That brightened me up. "If you have medicine, I wouldn't have to worry about this ever again."

"No," Wendy whispered. "It would be temporary. You would build up immunity to it eventually." She turned to Gray, "can you go tell Master about this? I think he needs to know."

Gray nodded, "Of course. You concentrate on the tests. Lucy, we'll figure this out, okay? You won't have to leave Fairy Tail because you're allergic to us."

Gray left the room. Wendy busied herself with medical tools while I stared into space. I hadn't realized that being allergic to magic would mean I couldn't stay at Fairy Tail, but Gray was right. I had heard of allergy attacks killing people. Fairy Tail wouldn't want someone to die because of them. They'd make me leave for my own health.

"Lucy, everything will be okay," Wendy reassured me. Her back was to me as she rummaged through a supply drawer. I smiled at her back, but I couldn't get myself to believe her. Wendy continued, "Get some rest. I'll test on you while you're asleep and then send Happy in to keep you company. I need to cut off your magic exposure."

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x. .x.x.x.x.x

_"Marsha," I whispered, "Mom is actually gone."_

_ "She is," Marsha said. Marsha wouldn't look at me. _

_ "We made her a grave, but didn't give her a headstone," I mused. Mom had been gone for three months. I was past crying, but I hadn't accepted her death the way Marsha had. "I hope she's okay with that. I hope she's okay up in heaven and not sick anymore."_

_ Marsha and I stopped walking. We were in an open field that led between villages. For three months, we were walking. Marsha wanted a place to settle down. She claimed I had started to look feverish. _

_ Sitting on the grass, Marsha said it was time for a break. _

_ We sat watching the clouds for a long time._

_ "Promise me you won't get sick, Marsha," I whispered. "There will be no one left for me. I'm lost. I don't want to be alone."_

_ My chest seized up and I launched into a coughing fit. Marsha watched as I slowly recovered, taking deep breathes. _

_ "I still think you're getting sick. That cough was nasty," Marsha wouldn't look at me as she talked. She always seemed to not look at me. I never asked why because, if I made Marsha mad, she might leave me._

_ "No way am I getting sick," I stood up. "It's probably allergies or something."_

_ "What if you get sick like Layla did?" Marsha asked. I recoiled at the words. Mom's wounds would never heal._

_ Staying optimistic, I cheered, "That'll never happen. Mom used to say that she would take care of everything that was bad, even sickness. Now that she's in heaven, she probably has some special way to watch over me and keep me healthy."_

_ Marsha slowly smirked. I never understood that smirk. It was like she knew something I didn't._

_ A few months later, I was bedridden._

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

The door shut and I woke up. Wendy was gone and, in her place was Happy. The cat absentmindedly used Wendy's medical equipment as a back scratcher.

"Happy, that's not what those tools are for," I scolded.

He stopped, pranced towards me, and said, "You're finally awake! Wendy got you some food," Happy motioned a tray on the nightstand next to me, "and said to call for her if you need anything."

I told Happy thank you and carefully moved the tray onto my lap. It was packed with fruit and a sandwich, which I gobbled down as Happy sat next to me.

When I finished eating, I set the tray aside. "Has anything happened since I was knocked out?" I asked Happy.

"Uh, well, let's see…" Happy scratched his head, "Master said Gildarts would be coming to visit soon… Elfman and a large group of people went on a joint mission with Blue Pegasus. He said something about a guy named Zeref tearing down stuff."

"Who stayed behind?"

"Only Master, Natsu, Gray, Erza, Mira, Cana, Wendy, and Laxus," Happy listed. "Laxus got here a few hours ago."

I sighed, "So the Guild is practically empty and Laxus is here? Last I heard, he wasn't on good terms with Master."

"No, they're fine now," Happy smiled and shifted into my lap. "A lot of stuff happened between the two of them, but they worked it out when Fairy Tail got attacked on the first day you came. Have you officially met Laxus yet?"

I scratched Happy's ear, "No, but I guess right now isn't a good time. I haven't showered in a while and Wendy said to stay away from magic."

Happy purred.

I continued, "With everyone gone, we have to wait for them to get back before we can set up concrete plans to attack the Court."

The door was thrown open and Master strolled in, followed by Natsu, Erza, and Laxus.

"Are you getting yourself worked up, Lucy?" Master scolded, "I was told everything and you shouldn't be worried about a battle right now."

Mumbling "yes Master," I sank into the pillows.

Laxus made himself comfortable in the corner of the room. He looked like a classic rebellious teenager and in no hurry to meet me. Erza, Natsu, and Master huddled around my bed.

"Happy told me that most of the Guild went on a mission," I said.

Natsu grinned, "Yea, but the rest of us are going to beat bad-mphm"

Erza punched Natsu in the stomach. He was sent flying through the room and no one moved to help him up. He bounced back onto his feet and loudly asked Erza what that was for. She glared at him and then focused her attention on me.

"Ignore him. The idiot doesn't know what he's talking about," Erza commanded. "We can't stay here long, Wendy's orders, but we have news to tell you and it couldn't wait."

I let Natsu's comment about beating a bad something slide. He might have just been talking about a mission he was going on later.

"We have an idea that might cure your allergies, but we can't be positive it will work," Erza said.

Master spoke up, "It's Layla's book. It might have some kind of healing ritual that we can try. I'm warning you not to get your hopes up because it's possible there will be nothing in it."

"How are you going to get the book from Marsha?" I asked.

"It'll be easy!" Natsu shouted. "When we- mphm."

Erza punched Natsu again and didn't spare him a second glance.

Taking over the talking again, Erza spoke, "We don't know yet. We think we'll get a hold of it when we attack the Court, but who knows when that will be? Master thought we should tell you since it concerned your health."

I nodded. "Thank you so much for telling me."

"We should go now," Master moved to the door. "Lucy, we'll try and visit you but we want you to get better and, since we're the ones making you sick, you'll probably be spending most of your time with Happy."

Natsu and Master left, wishing me good health.

Erza, before leaving, glanced at Laxus. He had picked up one of Wendy's medical tools and was examining it intensely.

"It's time to go, Laxus," Erza called.

"One second," he responded. It was the first time he had spoken.

Erza left after practically commanding me to stay healthy.

Laxus continued to examine the tool. Happy and I watched him, confused. After a few minutes, he glanced around the room. Then, he stood up and checked out the windows.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

He held up a hand, signaling me to wait a second. Laxus then peeked out the door. Finally, he pulled up a seat closer to my bedside.

"You know they don't plan on letting you go to the Court, right?" Laxus said abruptly.

Taken aback, I stammered, "W-what? They wouldn't leave me behind. T-this is important to me."

Laxus set the tool down. "They didn't come in here just to see how you were doing. They were making sure you were still bedridden so that you wouldn't try to follow them to the Court."

"Laxus, Master said that-" Happy protested, but Laxus' glare silenced him.

"Natsu almost gave up the secret twice," Laxus continued, "which is why Erza kept punching him."

"How come you're telling me this?" I challenged. "I just met you. You didn't even greet me. How do I know you're even telling the truth?"

"I decided a while ago that I'd stop lying. Don't make me wish otherwise," Laxus growled.

"You still haven't told me _why _you're telling me this."

Laxus stood up, "I owe you. Because you came to Fairy Tail and the Court decided to attack, I got the chance to be reaccepted into the Guild. I never thought I'd have that chance, especially after the things I had done."

"What'd you do that was so horrible?" I asked as I pulled the bed sheets up.

"I attacked my own Guild. It was a dumb, horrible, and _stupid _mistake that I made because I was angry. Makarov wouldn't name me his successor and I thought, with my entire soul, that I should have been. A small team of people, all with their own anger, followed me into a fight with the Guild. I lost, but not until after destroying most of the Guild," Laxus wouldn't meet my eyes.

It was hard to imagine that this single guy and a small team of people were able to do so much damage to Fairy Tail. However, his face told me it was possible and I sighed. "When are they attacking the Court?" I questioned. Happy, who hadn't moved this whole time, jumped towards Laxus.

"You shouldn't tell her, Laxus," Happy pleaded. "Wendy said that Lucy isn't in good condition. She won't be able to fight, especially so soon."

"Soon? They're leaving soon? How soon?" I sat up straighter.

Laxus pushed Happy aside. "In an hour. They're leaving using only the small group of people that stayed at the Guild. Makarov thought a smaller team would work better and knew he couldn't keep everyone away if he told them. So he waited for the right opportunity to take a select group."

I clenched my teeth.

Happy's eyes widened. Panicked, he said, "Don't think about going, Lucy. Please! Erza will cut off my head if she finds out what happened here."  
"I can't just stay here, Happy," I said calmly. Carefully, I peeled back my sheets. "This is my fight too! The Phoenixes are my people. Fairy Tail shouldn't have to solve all my problems."

I stood. After a brief moment of dizziness, I slowly marched my way towards the door. I could tell my body was in pain, but it wasn't registering with my brain. I stopped at the threshold and turned.

"Are you guys coming?" I asked. Happy raced to me.

"As much as I would like to see you try and do whatever you think you're going to do, I have to stay with the Guild. They'll think something is up right away if I don't go," Laxus said.

I nodded and then briskly left. Happy marched behind me, but I didn't look back for him, I kept marching until I realized that I had no plan or idea of what to do.

The medical hut I had been in could be seen from Fairy Tail, but after my pointless walking both were out of sight.

"Now what, Lucy?" Happy asked.

Instead of answering, I searched for a bench. My walking had led me to a busy part of the town where people elbowed me out of their way and I had trouble hearing myself think. I found a bench and made a beeline towards it.

"Is there anything you can tell me about Fairy Tail's plan that Laxus forgot?" I asked as I sat down.

Happy popped onto my lap, "Laxus covered everything. That doesn't mean you have to go, Lucy. What'll Erza do to me when she finds out you know? We could turn back. We _should _turn back."

"Happy, stop trying to convince me not to go or I'll send you back to Fairy Tail and go by myself." That shut Happy up.

A wave of nausea swept through me and I doubled over. Happy hopped off my lap and repeatedly asked what was wrong. I held up a hand to stop him.

"Happy, we're in a city surrounded by people that could have magic," I breathed. "It's not the best thing for allergies."

"Which is why we should go back-"

"No. The Phoenixes are my family!"

"Fairy Tail is your family!" Happy yelled. "They want you safe and unhurt and not _dying. _You can't take on the Phoenixes like this, especially with just the two of us. Please accept it." Happy was begging.

I sat up to retort but quickly doubled back over when my head started pounding. A squeezing feeling had consumed me and I let out a fit of dry coughs. People that walked by gave us strange looks.

A bright light shined on my face. When I looked up, Loki stood in front of me.

Loki turned to me. "Happy is right, Lucy."

I groaned. "Can you guys stop trying to tell me not to go?"

"Hey, hear me out," Loki said. "You have to stop Fairy Tail from going. They won't be able to beat Marsha right now. With the book in her hands, Marsha will stop them before they even enter the Court."

"Marsha can't be that strong," I hoped.

"Marsha isn't," Loki explained, "but the book is. Layla had put the power of all 12 zodiac spirits into it and the only things that can negate the book's power are the same 12 spirits."

"Are you saying the situation is hopeless? I'll never get all 12 keys together in a few years, let alone weeks or even days." I leaned back and sank into the bench.

Loki shook his head, "Layla kept Cancer, Lyra and I on her key ring, but gave the other 10 to trusted friends after she left the Court. You just need to collect these ten keys."

I was skeptical. "And you know where all these people are?"

"Of course. While in our keys, all Celestial Spirits are in the same place: the spirit realm. I fill them in on what you're up to and they tell me what they've been doing."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"I didn't think you'd try something stupid like rushing head first into the Court."

Happy chimed in, "This isn't the time to be talking about this. Natsu and the others could have left by now."

I rocketed to my feet and Loki returned to his key. The pain in my head had receded, but nothing lasts forever. I chanted that as I ran to Fairy Tail.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

I peeked into Fairy Tail's door. The room was empty and no one responded when I called out. Feeling lost, I unfurled my _alae _and flew to the medical hut. It was the only other place I thought Fairy Tail would be and, when that ended in a bust, Happy and I took to the air and starting scanning the route to the Court.

After a few minutes of hopeless searching, I asked Happy how Fairy Tail could have covered so much ground so quickly.

"Natsu probably starting sprinting right off the bat," Happy remarked. "He isn't good at dealing with anticipation, but we're flying. We will catch up soon enough."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a pink blob zooming through the landscape. A little way behind the blob was a bunch of other colored blobs. The other colored blobs didn't move as quickly as the pink one and, eventually, the pink one had to stop when he was too far ahead of them.

I was relieved to have found Fairy Tail, but I couldn't get myself to land. Happy and I hovered over the group as they caught up to Natsu. I could hear Erza scold him for going ahead and the group put their things aside to let Natsu catch his breath. That was my chance to land and tell them to turn around.

However, watching them sit together and be comfortable, I was too scared. My body trembled. Something echoed in my head and seemed to radiate off the group in wave. It told me not to go near there and that it was dangerous.

Happy asked me why I wouldn't land.

Staring at my trembling hands, I realized what it was. The mage magic that Fairy Tail contained was immense and my body didn't want to have to deal with it, especially because that single group on the ground contained some of the strongest in the guild. With a jolt, I realized how scared I was of my allergies.

Being in the air suddenly made me feel nauseous, so I landed a short distance from the Fairy Tail group. Happy followed without question.

I walked until I was a close enough to see and hear Fairy Tail and hid behind a tree.

"Do you think leaving Lucy behind was okay?" Wendy asked. Laxus, who sat next to her, glanced at her, but otherwise gave on no signs that he cared about me.

Gray piped up, "She'll probably be upset when she finds out. This was important to her, but she was in no state to handle it. We'll have to make it up to her, though."

"When we get that book," Natsu shouted, "Lucy will be well enough to go on missions with all of us. It's worth it."

Secretly glad that Fairy Tail felt a little bad at leaving me behind, I looked around for Happy to try and tell him that I was ready, but I couldn't find him.

"Happy! What are you doing here?" Master exclaimed. The blue cat had walked straight up to him.

I froze and waited, trying to see what Happy would do.

"Lucy has something important to say!" Happy said with a flick of his tail. "You guys have to hear her out or you're all going to be in trouble."

"Happy," Cana, who had been silent until now, scolded, "you shouldn't have left Lucy alone."

"But I didn't. She's right over there," Happy pointed to the tree I hid behind.

Since I was left with no choice, I stepped out from my hiding spot. Laxus glanced at me and sighed.

I greeted the group quietly.

"What are you doing here?" Master exclaimed.

"I know what you guys are trying to do and it won't work," I said. I couldn't get myself to look them in the eyes, so I kicked at the floor. "You have to hear me out and then turn around."

Gray stepped forwards. "Happy, did you tell Lucy what we had planned?" The cat hid behind my leg.

I defended Happy. "Happy didn't tell me! I figured it out." While that was a lie, I wasn't about to sell out Laxus. "I was initially going to try and help you guys fight, but then Loki popped out of his key and told me-"  
"Loki!" Wendy scolded the Celestial Spirit even though he wasn't there. "We're trying to limit Lucy's exposure to magic. That idiot using magic to leave the key hurts Lucy more than it helps her no matter what Loki had to say."

"Listen!" I boomed. "Loki said that you can't beat Marsha while she has the book. The book is super strong- too strong for a small group from the guild to handle- and infused with magic from all 12 Zodiac Celestial Spirits." I continued on, repeating everything Loki had said.

When I finished, Master stepped forwards. "How do you think we will get the remaining 10 keys before our window of attack closes?"

"Loki will tell us where the keys are and then we can split into small groups and find them," I explained.

Mirajane stepped forward. "You shouldn't summon Loki to tell us, though."

A light flashed and Loki appeared. "Too late."

"I guess it's nice to see you, too," Mirajane sighed.

Loki got straight down to business, "I made four maps for you guys. Each map has the location of all ten keys and the back of the map has the names and addresses of all the carriers." Loki pulled the maps out.

I grabbed a map and unfurled it. "These people are ridiculously spread out," I commented. Place markers were spread across practically all corners of the country.

"Wait," Erza commanded, making everyone look at her. "We haven't decided anything yet."

"You heard Old Man," Gray said. "We have to attack before the 'window' closes. We don't have time to debate things."

"I don't think you get much of a say, Gray," Cana snickered. "We have to talk things out."

The other three maps were distributed to Master, Erza, and Mirajane.

Natsu hopped up to Loki, "I want a map! C'mon Loki, you couldn't make enough for everyone?"

"There was no time," Loki sighed.

"I guess we're actually doing this," Mirajane sighed. "We can only split into four groups, then, and each gets one map."

"Stop, stop, stop," Wendy called. She walked up to Loki and smacked him. "You," she poked Loki's chest, "return to your key before Lucy passes out from exhaustion. Seriously, she's turning green."

He glanced at me once, nodded, and returned without a word. Personally, I thought I had been doing a good job of hiding my fatigue.

"You," Wendy whirled around and pointed at Gray, "don't try rushing us into things. We have a bunch of time before our 'window' closes. You," Wendy turned to Erza and then Master and decided not to say anything. Wendy faced Natsu, "Sit down or I'll turn my Dragon Roar on you. Your excitement is making magic practically fly off of you. Cana, please give Lucy a sip of water. Laxus, just keep not saying anything. And you," Wendy finally turned to me, "lay down right now. I can't believe my patient flew all the way over here."

I complied, suddenly scared of Wendy.

"What's gotten into you, Wendy?" Cana asked.

Wendy took a calming breath, "I just think we all need to sit down for a moment and think. We're all talking about rushing into battle or how there is no time left while Lucy over here is moments aware from fainting."

"Wendy is right," Master took control, "but right now, we do need to decide what we're going to do. We're splitting into four groups for sure. Three groups will be groups of two and one will be a group of three, since I assume Lucy isn't going anywhere."

"Thank you," I smiled, but struggled to keep my eyes open.

"What about me? Don't I count as a person?" Happy sounded offended.

"I'm sorry I forgot you," Master amended. "I'll let you go with whomever you want to make up for it."

Natsu chimed in, "I want to be with Lucy!"

"No way, flame brain, I want to be Lucy's partner!" Gray shouted.

My eyes fluttered shut and I drifted off to sleep.

When I woke up, Sting stood in front of me.

**Thanks to Nero Assassina for reviewing the last chapter! I'm so glad that you were so excited about it. **

**This story has 32 favorites and 36 alerts. How much do I love you guys? This much! (Pretend I'm opening my arms really wide.) **

**A/N- Things just keep getting more intense! I'm so excited for the story to keep moving.**

**What do you guys think Sting has to say?**


	17. Chapter 17

People aren't against you; they are for themselves

-unknown

You have a swimsuit tan. You could jump in the pool naked and no one would know you weren't wearing anything.  
Ayumu "Osaka" Kasuga (Azumanga Daioh)

Vietnam has the largest cave in the world. The cave has its own trees and clouds inside of it.

Nomophobia is the fear of being without your phone.

"Sh," Sting covered my mouth. Disoriented, I complied. Sting whispered, "I need to talk to you. Can you get up and walk with me?"

First, I had to take in my surroundings. It was nighttime, and my Fairy Tail companions slept peacefully around me. Natsu slept almost hanging off a tree and I assumed he had fallen asleep during guard duty.

Slowly, I stood. Sting guided me forward with his hand and we tiptoed away from my friends. Once we were far enough that Natsu's super hearing wouldn't hear us, I could breathe again.

"What are you doing here?" I whispered. Talking normally seemed too casual. "How did you- actually why would you leave Marsha? Even if you don't like it, you told me yourself you need a full _lamia _nearby."

Even in the dark, I could tell that Sting's eyes widened dramatically. "You don't understand," he whispered, "the Court is horrible now. Marsha has done horrible things in the name of starting a new way of life for the Phoenixes."

"What do you mean? She hasn't been in charge long enough for complete control," I hoped.

Frantically shaking his head, Sting told me I was wrong. "The moment you were gone, Marsha was there, working on changing everything. At first, the Phoenixes clung to her because Marsha seemed to know what to do. Supposedly, the _Regina _named Marsha her successor because Marsha is her niece. The _Regina _then suddenly collapsed."

"And the Court just accepted this?" I asked.

"Without a single question," Sting nodded. "Marsha quickly repaired everything that you guys had broken. She painted you guys as evil demons whose only goal was to destroy everything in their paths."

"Since Fairy Tail caused so much damage, it was easy to believe," I sighed.

"Right. Marsha used you as the main evil for the Court to rally around. Honestly, I didn't think Phoenixes were capable of so much hate. Just the mention of your name can send people on rants. Besides all of the hate on you, though, Marsha didn't seem to change the Court much."

"Well, that's not too horrible then, right? I mean, being hated that much is kind of scary but-"

"It didn't stop. Marsha would hold rallies on how horrible you were. People would attend them by the masses. Then, one day, Marsha announced the Stop Evil Campaign. Nicknamed Stop It, it was a law Marsha passed that declared all resources deemed necessary to stopping 'evil' to be made available to her. These resources included humans."

"What does that mean?" Sting's whole story sounded like something out of a book, but I wasn't going to tell him that. "Do you mean Marsha wanted people to become soldiers?"

"It started like that," Sting sighed. "People could sign up for combat training and then be called on if they ever needed to fight. Eventually, it became mandatory, and everything changed. The entire Court became like an army base and everything centered on learning to fight. Those that were smart were asked to become scientists. Marsha ordered experiments to take place, and Phoenixes started to disappear. Nobody knew what experiments took place and Marsha wasn't leaking anything."

"What's happening to the children? What about Levy?"

"Children are forced to be soldiers. Mostly adults are taken for experiments. Levy was sentenced to the dungeons the moment Marsha found her. Marsha doesn't seem to be in a hurry to kill her, though. I'm thinking Marsha has something planned. You better hope it's not an experiment."

"Have you seen an experiment?" I glanced around. The sun was starting to peek out.

Sting nodded gravely. "It's why I ran. Lucy, I saw a Phoenix's wings get turned black like mine. I think Marsha is trying to make a weapon out of it."

"Oh my god," I gasped. The Court sounded like a nightmare. "How are we going to help everyone? If they're all so brainwashed to hate me, they might not want to be saved."

"Believe me, they do. Marsha instated quotas on all necessities around the time fight training became mandatory. She claimed it was to save up for an attack, but really everyone is going hungry and getting sick. Ridiculous amounts of food, medicine, and other necessities are required to be donated before Phoenixes can use any of them."

Before I could comment, I heard my name being called by Natsu.

"Shit," Sting sighed. "I'll have to get going. Tell your friends what I said."

"What would I say? A little bird told me what was happening at the Court? You have to stay. If you ran away from the Court, you have nowhere to go now," I grabbed Sting's arm.

He pried my hand off of him, "I didn't actually run away. Marsha wants you gone, Lucy, so she sent me out to look for you. I have to return in a few hours and I'm going to tell her there was no sign of you. She'll keep sending people out to look for you. Make sure you keep moving."

Sting took off. I yelled to him, "I'll save the Court! I swear!"

Natsu appeared and strolled over to me with a grin. "That's right! Nothing will stand in our way. What are you doing all the way over here, Lucy?" Natsu asked.

"Pumping myself up for the day," I sighed. "Let's go back over to camp. When everyone wakes up, I have something to say."

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

The sun was making its way high into the sky when everyone was awake and packed up. The plan for today was for us to split up and head to one of the ten destinations. After I had fallen asleep last night, Master had decided that I would be in a group with Gray, Natsu, and Happy. Our groups and Master's group of him and Erza would be heading to two destinations while the other groups only had one.

A final meeting was called before we all went separate ways.

"Lucy has something to say!" Natsu called the moment everyone was together.

I wasted no time telling them exactly what had happened with Sting. It seemed to encourage everyone to want to move faster and they didn't want to sit still while Master talked.

"Meet back at Fairy Tail in two weeks," Master ordered. "You don't have enough money or provisions along to stay out longer and, from what Sting said, it seems that we don't have a lot of time before Marsha makes a move against us. Two weeks may be stretching it already. Is everyone clear on what's going to happen?"

There was a chorus of confirmations before we said a large goodbye and went our separate ways. It wasn't a sad goodbye because we would all see each other in two weeks, but Wendy approached me before we left.

"You'll have to sleep a distance away from Natsu and Gray," Wendy told me. "Not just because they're boys, but they're strong boys. Sometimes you can feel the magic leaking off of them. You won't be able to stand it forever and I won't be there to help you if you collapse."

I assured Wendy that I would take care of myself, but she handed me a bag of painkillers anyways. I tucked it away in a backpack I had been given earlier this morning that was already filled with necessities.

Walking away from the group felt like lifting a weight from my shoulders. My allergies had started to become agitated around so much magic and leaving it behind stopped some of the pain. Of course, the pain wasn't gone.

As we walked, Gray and Natsu idly chatted with Happy, but I was wrapped up in my thoughts.

Our first destination would be a nearby fishing village that would take the better part of the day to get to. We would meet an older woman named Yene in a hut near the water and hopefully receive Taurus. The plan was to stay a night in that village and move onto the next destination.

The next place would be a four day journey from the fishing village into a large city named Snapdragon City. There, we are supposed to find a young man, named Met, who inherited Scorpio from his late father.

The entire journey was calculated to last about nine days, which left five days extra in case of an unplanned event.

We took a break from walking to eat lunch and took another a few hours later to rest our feet. I didn't need Wendy's painkillers yet, but my body wanted a shower. All talking faded away as the boys concentrated on following the map.

When the sun had started to set and I began worrying that we wouldn't reach the village before dark, the outline of thatched huts appeared. My pace picked up and we entered the village after passing a worn out sign that proclaimed this was Waving Heights.

Waving Heights didn't have the same uniformity that most places had. Instead of houses lined in rows and streets connecting the rows, all of the shops were in a random cluster near the harbor while all of the houses were spread out unevenly beyond the shops. Everything had a similar beach hut look to it, but nothing looked exactly the same.

"Where are we going to sleep?" I felt strange talking. We hadn't said one word in hours.

Gray simply pointed to a small tavern. It was slightly bigger than most of the buildings and was in the center of the cluster of shops.

We entered the tavern. The room was brightly lit and music played out of a record in the corner. The tavern wasn't packed, but it certainly had a satisfactory amount of business.

Gray took the lead and approached the bar tender.

"Excuse me," Gray said, "we would like a dinner and two rooms."

"Oh-ho-ho! Of course, of course" The bartender bellowed. He resembled Santa Clause with his large belly and jolly stature, but his hair was a peppery black. "My name's Jarvis, owner of the tavern. Have a seat. My wife'll get yer room and I'll be around shortly with yer dinner."

We chose a table at random and collapsed into the chairs. Only a few seconds after sitting, Natsu was standing up again.

"Man, this place smells great!" he shouted. This got the attention of two men in the table next to us.

"It's great to see a young feller 'preciate the smell o' beer," one of the men, who appeared to be beer-bellied and middle aged, said to Natsu. "But don't get too many gallons tonigh', lad. The Hollow'll get ya when yer tipsy an' wanderin' these streets in the wee hours of the morn."

"Don't tell me you believe that, Thomas," said the second man to the first, who was identified as Thomas. "It's probably a sea god causing all the trouble."

"I've told you time an' time again," Thomas sighed, "There're no such thing as sea gods, Marcus."

The second man, Marcus, was younger and dark skinned. Natsu walked over to the men.

"What's this Hollow that you're talking about?" Natsu asked.

Thomas answered, "Kid's 've been disapperin' from towns 'round here for a few weeks now. Why, Sam's boy was up an' gone two days ago. They say it's the Hollow that takes 'em. The Hollow eats child's bones an' uses the skin as clothes."

"I still think its sea gods," Marcus sighed. "They're mad at us for helping out that new company."

Curious, Gray walked over to the two men and asked, "What company?"

"This large food Distribution Company named Flying Food," Marcus answered. "They pay us to catch as much fish as we can and then buy the fish by the boat load. The company's owner said they are a large chain of restaurants and grocery stores. If you ask me, they buy enough fish to feed a small country during a famine."

Thomas cut in, "Marcus thinks they're shady 'cause nobody around here's heard of 'em."

The food arrived before the men could talk anymore. The two men left soon after and, even after going to my room and lying down, something about the Hollow story rubbed me the wrong way.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

"Who will know which hut is Yene's?" I asked. We had woken up an hour ago and moved out of our rooms. The four of us huddled around the tavern's entrance, wondering where to start our day.

Jarvis strolled in, "Yer lookin' for old Yene, huh? She's the only thatched hut right on the shore line an' it doesn't have a door. Crazy lady, that one. You best hide those wings around her, blondie. Some think Old Yene is the Hollow. Hollow's 're interested in their fellow supernaturals."

"Oh," I said, "I will be careful, but I don't think I believe in the Hollow."

Natsu jumped in. "Doesn't matter what comes are way as long as I get some fighting in. Thanks for the directions, old man."

"Before ya go," Jarvis called as we turned to leave, "can ya tell me yer names?"

We introduced ourselves without a second thought. Jarvis waved us farewell and we set off for Yene's hut.

"Do you think Yene is the Hollow?" Happy asked.

Gray shook his head, "I agree with Lucy. There is no such thing as Hollows, but where are all the children disappearing to?"

None of us had an answer, so we continued on in silence.

Yene's hut seemed to materialize out of nowhere. It sat so close to the beach that it would hug the water during high tide. A large gap was in the place of a door, but, otherwise, the house was unremarkable.

Before we could stop him, Natsu dashed ahead of us and called Yene's name into the house. He was rather obnoxious about it, too.

When the rest of us caught up to Natsu, a tall woman stepped out of the hut. Her gray hair was tied tightly into a bun, which accented the numerous wrinkles on her face. She wore a large purple robe that rippled in the wind even though there was no wind. I stepped behind Gray and tried to make my _alae _disappear.

"I am Yene," she said. Her presence was commanding and solid. "You are Layla's spawn, you blonde Phoenix, cursed to bear the weight of being a _lamia_ and your mothers daughter. It isn't wise to have companions."

"Curse?" I sputtered.

"Yes, but it seems you already have already experienced the effect, you just didn't know it. However, that isn't why you've come. The Court is in disarray. I don't have to be there, I can feel the darkness in my blood. Come in, for it seems we have a bit to talk about," Yene mused.

We entered the hut. It resembled the medical hut at Fairy Tail except cluttered to the brim with herbs. The furniture was minimal: a perfectly made bed, a small wooden table, and two chairs.

"Lucy, sit in the chair," Yene commanded. "Natsu, Gray, and Happy, you may use my floor." The boys stayed silent. None of us asked how Yene knew our names. She probably wouldn't have answered anyway.

I sat in the chair and Yene sat across from me. Clasping her hands, Yene continued, "You presumably won't listen to me unless I elaborate on what I said about the curse. It isn't exactly a curse, per say. Bearing the title of being both Phoenix and _lamia, _your blood holds the power of the two greatest forces in the world that oppose magic. If all the energy in the world could be on a spectrum, magic and dragons would be on one side and Phoenix and _lamia _would be on the other. The mix of Phoenix and _lamia _blood makes magic repulsive to your body. However, since you take after your mother and both attempt to use it and fraternize with those that do, your body overreacts and tries to expel the magic from inside you."

I leaned forwards and whispered, "Does that mean there is no way to fix it? We thought Mom's book might have an answer."

"That I do not know. If there isn't, which is likely, you'll have no choice but to remove yourself from magic completely."

"That's why we are here to see you," Gray spoke up. "We need the Celestial key that Layla gave you so that we can get the book from Marsha."

"I'm aware," Yene sighed. She pulled a golden key from her pocket, "This is Taurus. He's not much in the way of intelligent company, so your pink haired friend will enjoy him."

"What?" Natsu asked. "Is she talking about me?"

I took the Taurus' key and flipped it over in my palms. "Thank you," I said earnestly. "Before we go, I do have one question. Do you know anything about this Hollow that everyone is talking about?"

"It's not me, if that's what you're asking," Yene raised an eyebrow. "I'm a healer, that's all. Real Hollows are much more terrifying."

"You mean to tell me that you think Hollows are real?" I questioned skeptically.

"They are real. They just don't exist in this world."

There was a crash outside the hut.

"That's your signal to leave," Yene stood up quickly. "Your fake Hollows are suspicious."

Instead of asking what she meant, my companions and I walked to the single window of the hut and peeked outside. Careful not to let ourselves be seen, we surveyed the area.

A group of about ten people milled about in front of the door. The crash was a large crate of supplies that had fallen off of a wagon. Some of the ten people hurried to pick up the crate while the rest formed a protective circle around them.

All of them wore black windbreakers. Only a few held visible weapons. I couldn't decide if they were mercenaries or something more sinister.

"What do we do?" I whispered.

Yene, who stood a little behind us, said, "It's smartest to run. Those people are employees of the Flying Food Company."

"What's so dangerous about that?" Gray asked. "They're just a bunch of hired grunts. It's nothing we can't fight head on."

Yene looked genuinely surprised. "I thought you knew," she sighed. "The Flying Food Company is Marsha's company. Since the Court is running out of food to both stockpile and eat, they've had to resort to other measures to get food."

"So, they buy things in bulk from small towns? That's not too horrible," I remarked.

"They aren't just stockpiling food," Gray said. "They're taking children, too. Yene called them the fake Hollows because she knows what they do."

"I haven't been able to find proof yet, but I'm almost positive it is them," Yene nodded.

Cautiously, I peeked out the window a little more. "Marsha must be using the kids for those experiments Sting mentioned. What can we do about it?"

"Nothing," Yene said sharply. "You have to save the Court first. That is your only priority right now. The people out there know that you are here. That crate didn't fall by accident."

"They're waiting for us," I whispered.

Yene continued, "Unless you stop Marsha, the children won't stop disappearing. I can try my best to help the town until you do so, but it won't be much."

"We're just running away? I can't do that," Natsu yelled. Gray pounced on him, putting his hand over Natsu's mouth. The rest of us watched outside the window warily.

The Flying Food workers, who were probably Phoenixes, had become wary after Natsu's yell. A few of them looked directly at our window. We sprawled ourselves across the floor.

"Natsu, I don't like this either," Gray hissed, "but it doesn't help anyone if we beat up one group of Phoenixes. We have to stop the source. Think about Lucy, too. She can't handle a fight. Her allergies have been doing well so far, but who knows how long she can hold out?"

Natsu seemed resigned to the facts, but the excitement to fight wouldn't leave his body.

"How are we going to get out of here?" Happy asked. He had curled up near my ankles.

Before anyone could answer, someone pounded on the door. "Open up, ma'am. It's urgent. Please, our companion is injured."

After a quick glance out the window, we knew no one was injured.

"The only way to get out is the window," Gray sighed. "We'd have to hope that randomly jumping out of the window is enough surprise to get a head start on them."

"Or," I suggested, "Happy and I can leave first. Since we can fly, we'll lead them away. Once they're gone, you guys can run and we can meet up somewhere."

"Bad idea," Yene shook her head. "The people outside can fly, too."

The knock on the door was more insistent. "Open up, or we'll have to force our way in."

I frantically searched the room. "What about some sort of knock-out gas or something? This is a medical hut; don't you have something like that?"

"I'm a healer, not a war mongrel," Yene sounded offended. "I can help using some magic of my own, however. I can paralyze them for a minute at the most. To make this an effective strategy, get all of their attention on my hut. That way, when you run, they won't see where you are going."

The knocking on the door turned into banging. "You have ten seconds to open this door! Ten. Nine…"

"We don't have a choice," Gray said frantically.

"Six, five…"

"I'll get their attention. You be ready to freeze them, granny," Natsu grinned.

Before I could say anything, Natsu jumped out the window.

**Thank you for reading!**

**A/N It's summer, so updates will definitely be on time. However, I'm going to be away at camp all next week. That's not really a problem, so expect a timely update. I encourage reviews because they make me smile. The way you guys react to what happens tells me a lot about the things I should write about.**

**I have gotten a few reviews hoping for this story to contain romance. I, as the author, do not feel like romance fits in with everything that is happening. But, (BUT!), I am not totally crossing it out.**

**Random A/N As I write this and try to send the chapter out, I have both my phone and ipod out alongside my computer. It's a prime example of how people believe technology is taking over out lives. I also have a gigantic cup of coffee and this enire A/N might just be the coffee speaking.**

**I love you for reading this story!**


	18. Chapter 18

**"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough."****  
****―****Mae West**

"**Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results."****  
****―****Narcotics Anonymous****,**_**Narcotics Anonymous**_

**The average American/Canadian drinks 600 sodas a year**

**There wasn't a single pony in the pony express just horses.**

I couldn't see Natsu for a moment, but I heard the frantic yells of everyone outside. Yene calmly moved to the door.

I watched out the window as Natsu dodged _ignis _blasts and knife throws. He stayed within the front of the hut and when Yene walked outside, Natsu let out a small complaint that the fight was over. The Phoenixes seemed confused at this statement, but didn't get much time to dwell on it. They raised their weapons at Yene, but were stopped in their tracks when she simply held up a hand.

At first, I didn't realize they had been frozen so easily. Gray had to give me a small push and our group started to run away. While running, we yelled our thanks to Yene.

The whole time we ran, I was counting how much time was left. At thirty seconds, the Phoenixes were dots in the distance. My chest heaved with the effort of sprinting and I could feel my allergies starting to act up. When a minute had passed, the village was a spot in the distance.

We continued to run.

The path to Snapdragon City would provide us no cover. It was all farmland and open plains. Thus, it was imperative that we get far enough away from Waving Heights so that the Phoenixes couldn't catch up.

We ran for a half an hour.

Finally, Gray declared that we were far enough away, but we couldn't stop moving. I wanted nothing more than to sag to the ground and sleep. My allergies reached the point where I choked down one of Wendy's pain pills and ate a few provisions.

x.x.x.x. .x.x.x.x.

"Do you think Yene is okay?" Gray asked. We had walked for hours in silence. The sun was a few hours away from setting, and I was still breathing heavily from the run.

When we had stopped for lunch, Happy noticed all my trouble and forced me to sit a distance away from Natsu and Gray. It helped a lot, so I decided to walk a few feet behind the boys.

"The old granny is fine," Natsu said. "Did you see that paralyzing magic? I bet she has a bunch of other kickass tricks up her sleeve too."

Before I could add to the conversation, I tripped over my feet and caught myself with my hands, which saved my face from meeting the ground, but my legs were a different story. They met the ground with an agonizing thud.

Natsu pulled me up right away, setting me on the ground lightly.

"I think that's sign to call it a night," he grinned.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

The night passed quickly and we ended up doing a similar routine every night until we reached the city. I would walk, take a pain pill, eventually do something similar to a collapse like falling or leaning heavily on Natsu, and we would break for the night.

At the end of day four, Snapdragon City wasn't in sight yet, but I knew why. The way I stopped us early every day had slowed our progress.

We would reach the city on our fifth day.

Even from a distance, I could tell it was nothing like Carronade Villa. Large, spindly towers protruded from various buildings and everything was geometrically shaped. As we got closer, I noticed the color scheme was shades of grays and blacks.

"It looks like a villain's lair," Happy commented.

There was no smell of hot dogs or scream of vendors when we actually entered the city. Stern business men walked in suits, holding their briefcases like children, and everyone dashed from one place to the next.

"How are we supposed to find Met?" I asked, but I was in no hurry. The city's line of Victorian looking shops, although crowded, were alluring. "This isn't some small fishing village where everyone knows everyone. For all we know, Met-"

A man bumped into me and sent the contents of his briefcase to the ground. I said sorry to him over and over again and frantically tried to help him pick up his papers until he finally held up a hand and forcefully told me to go away.

I grabbed my companion's hands, pulled them away from the scene, and into a tiny restaurant. Unlike the rest of the city, the restaurant was cozy and inviting.

I was about to suggest that we grab a snack when a yell came from the corner of the shop. Two men were arguing and waving their hands at each other. One of the men, an older fellow with a beer belly, waved a receipt in the other man's face. The other man ripped the receipt from his hand and tore it in half.

The man that tore the receipt was terrifying. His build was large and heavily pierced. A shiny ring hung off of a nose that was permanently crooked after being broken too many times. His hair was a black mane that matched his clothes.

With a grunt, the old man stormed out of the shop.

"And stay out!" yelled the heavily pierced man. "This isn't your mother's house and I'm not your maid."

Then the pierced man noticed us.

Throwing on a more pleasant face, he greeted us. "Welcome to my restaurant. What can I do for you guys?"

"He looks like Gajeel," Natsu exclaimed randomly.

"You kids know Gajeel?" The pierced man asked slowly.

We all nodded.

He laughed jovially, "How's the little sprite doing? God, last time I saw him, he was scared of butterflies. Good times, you know what I'm sayin? Sit, sit, you'll have to tell me everything."

We were seated at a small table and it took my brain a second to catch up with what was happening. The way the man called Gajeel a little sprite made me think they could be related.

The first thing we did was to introduce ourselves and explain how Gajeel had joined Fairy Tail. Gray and Natsu took turns telling the story. It was a story I had only heard pieces of before: Gajeel's old guild attacked Fairy Tail after numerous people had called Fairy Tail many times stronger then them. Natsu and Gajeel fought each other to the point of exhaustion and Fairy Tail eventually won. Afterwards, Gajeel had nowhere else to go, so Fairy Tail let him in.

Chuckling, the man said, "It figures that Gajeel would end up there. He always did have a way of finding the strong people."

"Excuse me, sir, but how do you know Gajeel?" I asked.

"Don't call me sir. I go by Met," he said.

We gaped at him until he asked what was wrong with us.

"We were looking for you," I explained. "My mom was Layla and we need the Celestial key she gave you. I'm not sure if you know what's going on with the Court, but-"

Met held up a hand to silence me. "I know that the Court has been royally screwed up. I'd have to be fucking blind not to. You're welcome to take Scorpio off my hands. He's a bit of a douche if you get my drift." Met took the key from a pocket and handed it to me.

"Hold on," Natsu cried before we could do anything else. "You haven't told us how you know Gajeel."

"Well, that's a simple question. I raised him."

"I thought Gajeel was raised by a dragon?" Natsu said slowly.

"Yes, Gajeel _was _raised by a dragon."

"But both of you couldn't have raised him."

"Only one person raised Gajeel."

I understood what Met was saying. Gray's face said that he did too. Natsu and Happy, however, needed it spelled out for them.

"My full name is Metallica," Met explained. "I am the metal dragon."

Natsu and Happy exploded into questions. None of us could understand one word of what they were saying, so Met covered both of their mouths and said to ask one question at a time.

"How come you don't look like a dragon?" Natsu's eyes burned with excitement.

Met seemed weary, "I'm stuck in a human form right now, but I'm not the only one. All dragons are. You have Taurus with you already, so I assume you've met Yene. Her real name in Grandeeney, the sky dragon. I thought she would've told you, but it's not something we openly advertise."

Natsu's next question was how this happened.

"Dragons are closely related to the Phoenix Court. Most people think Phoenixes are connected to birds, but they're really descendents of an extinct line of powerful dragons. Since all species of dragon share a small connection, the things that happen in the Court affect dragons everywhere. Because of the Court's turmoil, dragons have been losing magic and stuck in human forms for years now. We won't be able to turn back until the Court is stable again."

"In other words, Layla's actions are the reason you're stuck like this," I sighed.

"Layla had intentions purer than clouds, but she never understood what the saying 'the end doesn't justify the means' meant," Met called a waiter over and told him to bring us drinks that were on the house.

"How do you know Layla if your late father is the one who gave you the key?" Gray chimed in.

"I was the one that met Layla. Dragons have the ability to change how old they look while in human form," Met informed us. "Knowing I'd be here for a while, I started off looking like an old geezer to earn some respect around here. When I 'died', I just shifted into a younger age and said my dad left me the shop. I'll bet my brandy that Scorpio told Loki the story incorrectly. The dickwad never listens to me."

A waiter put bottles of alcohol in front of us. Natsu, Gray, and Met began guzzling them right away while Happy and I slowly inched ours towards the center of the table.

"How did you meet Mom then?" I wondered.

"Mm," Met gulped down another sip of alcohol. "It was just lucky timing. Every fifty years the dragons meet up at the Court and make sure everything is running smoothly. The last time we met up, something was already funky in the Court. Layla hadn't made a real move yet, but the _Regina _was being a bitch to all of her subordinates and nobody was happy.

"The first thing we did when all the dragons got to the Court was to survey the whole area. When we passed the little hidey hole that Layla had set up behind the tapestry, we sensed it right away and entered. Layla told us her entire plan on a whim. Not all of the dragons cared enough to even stay and listen, but just enough of us stayed and agreed with the idea that we decided to help however we could. Its dragon law not to directly interfere with other species problems, so anything we did to help Layla was strictly small scale.

"After dragons cleared out of the Court and shit hit the fan, Layla found the ten of the eleven dragons that had agreed to help her and gave us all a Celestial key. I still remember that she said it was an apology for letting us suffer in our human forms. 'When someone comes to collect the key from you, you know that your time in human form will almost be over' is what she told me." Met stared at his hands and then at us.

Natsu loudly slammed his empty bottle onto the table. "Was Igneel there? Did he agree with Layla? Do you know where Igneel is now? Why did he disappear?"

Met signaled a waiter to grab Natsu's bottle. "Igneel was on the fence about Layla's ideas, but when they met at the Court they had seemed to already know each other. I didn't press the issue. From what I know, Igneel was the eleventh dragon who Layla couldn't find or else she would have given him Cancer. The last I heard from Igneel was all those years ago at the Court."

Natsu sighed and rested his head on the table.

"Igneel is definitely alive," Met continued. "We'd feel it if he wasn't. He's in human form, so I suspect he's hiding somewhere in the middle of the forest by himself. His temper with others is as hot as his flames. God damn, I should know. We fight like wolves."

"Wolves with wings and extremely powerful magic," Happy snorted. He had taken a small swig from his bottle.

Natsu wouldn't look up. I knew he was disappointed to not find anything useful about Igneel's location. I was aware of Natsu's mission to find his lost father and this must have been the best lead he'd ever get.

"Look at me," Met demanded. Natsu's head snapped up. "Igneel didn't suddenly decide to leave you. He had a good reason."

"You know why?" Natsu's eyed widened.

"Not exactly." Natsu deflated. Met kept talking, "It's a pride thing, though. I mean, what's stopping Yene and me from visiting Wendy and Gajeel? I'm sure as hell that Yene aches to see Wendy. I wish my little sprite was still running between my legs and hopping on my back. However, they know us as dragons. If we showed up as humans, we're no longer strong dragon parents. Plus, we couldn't keep you guys forever. You needed to be ingrained into society before you became too dragon-like."

"You're doing fine in society and you're a real dragon," Natsu pointed out.

"I'm fine because I have to be."

The entire restaurant seemed quieter. Met stood up.

"The day is fading away. You'll have to be on your way soon. It's probably a good idea to stay the night in town. Heartfilia is looking a bit too pale for walking. I'll be off." Met turned around.

"Excuse me, but could I have one more second of your time?" I asked. Met faced me. "The battle with the Court isn't far away. If we ever need your help, are you willing to cooperate? Even though you're in human form you'd be a ton of help."

Met smirked. "Of course. All the dragons are at your service, Heartfilia. We believed in Layla, so we will believe in her daughter."

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

We left Met behind and found a hotel. After eating dinner, I parted with the boys and entered my room. My few belongings were tossed aside and I gulped down a pain pill to sooth the pounding in both my head and stomach.

After a few minutes of peace, the boys barged in.

"Hey, long time no see," Natsu greeted. We sat in a circle on the floor.

"What are you guys up to?" I asked. "I thought we were going to bed."

Gray pulled out the map that Loki had drawn. "I just wanted you to look at the map." He held it out to me.

"Why? We just need to head back to Fairy Tail and we know the way."

"What if you get lost? Just look at the map," Gray was a little more forceful.

With a sigh, I grabbed the map. "I don't understand why I have to look at it." After unfurling the map, I noticed writing in the bottom corner that hadn't been there before.

_Lucy, we saw two Phoenixes enter our room. There's a thin white haired women and a tall black haired man who seem to have no backup. We're pretty sure they can hear everything we say, but we're positive that they don't know that we know about them. We have to leave._

I didn't want to turn my back on this opportunity to hear more about the Court. Rolling the map up, I stood and announced that I wanted to get something out of the boy's room.

"Are you crazy? There are people-" Gray yelled, but caught himself from telling the Phoenixes that we knew about them. "I mean, it's the guy room. Girls can't go in there. Whatever you left in there can wait."

Instead of answering I ignored Gray and eased the door open. I carefully walked to the next room over, the boys' room, and put my ear to the door.

"What if Lucy has the keys?" said a familiar voice. It was Yukino. She wasn't worried about being quiet as she rummaged through drawers and closed them with a slam. "We'll have to attack her for them."

"Marsha was clear that this was just a retrieval mission," said a silky baritone voice. It must have been the black haired man the note mentioned.

Gray, Natsu, and Happy left my room and found spots on the wall next to me. When Gray met my eyes, he shook his head tiredly.

There was more rummaging around the room. "Why does Marsha need the keys anyways? When we defeat Lucy and Fairy Tail, it won't matter who has them," Yukino sighed.

"Marsha wants to make sure there is no way for Fairy Tail to stop her," the male replied.

"We have a _dragon _chained in our cellar, Rogue. Marsha's noble plan won't be stopped by a stupid guild of mages," Yukino addressed the male who was identified as Rogue.

Natsu looked at me. We shared a moment of silent understanding as we both wondered if the dragon could be Igneel. For Natsu's sake, I prayed it wasn't.

"The dragon won't be helpful. It's halfway to starving to death if its disgusting smell doesn't kill it first. I was part of the team that caught it and it barely resisted capture. What happened to the wonderful stories of the fire dragon? It's a pathetic excuse for a dragon." Rogue snorted.

I prayed they were talking about a different fire breathing dragon. Natsu was only capable for staring at the wall and waiting to hear more.

"Don't say that," Yukino scolded. "How do you expect Igneel to breathe fire as a human?"

_Crack._

Natsu had punched the wall. He panted heavily and clenched his fists, ready to charge into the room.

"What was that?" Rogue asked.

"God damn it," Gray swore. "Did you have to do that, Natsu? Now we've really got to go."

Gray practically dragged Natsu away from the room as we sprinted away. Right after we turned the corner, I heard Yukino open the door and call for Rogue to look at the hole in the wall.

I kept pace with the guys as we ran, but that wouldn't last forever. I was already breathing heavily and wishing I could have gone to sleep instead.

"Where are we going now?" I panted.

Gray took one look at me and decided. "We'll just find another hotel to stay in."

"Gray, you're crazy! Those Phoenixes are probably chasing us right now," Happy cried.

"They have no idea that we were the ones standing outside the door. Even if they did, they'd assume we left the city. We're not really going to be in danger since they said they were supposed to only be on a search and retrieve mission," Gray explained. "Anyways, Lucy can't handle running away from the city."

Natsu and Happy looked at me and agreed with Gray. I tried denying it, but I stumbled over my foot instead.

On the other side of the city, we found our hotel. I threw myself onto the bed and expected to be out like a light. What I didn't account for was not being able to fall asleep when my stomach ached. Wendy's pills didn't help.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

I ended up sleeping in thirty minute intervals before giving up and waiting for the sun to rise. The boys woke up early and I hurried them out of the city. My exhaustion served as a distraction from the pain, so it was easier to convince the boys that I was okay.

Our journey back to Fairy Tail was relatively unhindered. We weren't randomly attacked or kidnapped and I was able to grit my teeth to work through the pain. The guild appeared in the horizon on schedule.

Natsu dashed to reach the guild first and flung the doors open. The rest of us were close behind and greeted by the energetic cries of Cana, Wendy, and Mirajane. Laxus chose to stay silent and sip his beer.

"How was the journey?" Mirajane approached us. "Were there any problems?"

Natsu jumped in before I could reply. "Nothing we couldn't handle, Mira. I need some more action."

"We'll be attacking the Court soon," Cana grinned. "Master and Erza need to return first, but nothing else is stopping us."

"I wouldn't say that," Mirajane wiped her hands on a dish rag before pouring drinks for my traveling companions and I. "We've been lucky and the rest of the guild hasn't come back from the joint mission with Blue Pegasus. If they return before we depart, they'll want to come with you guys."

"What happens if the guild returns and we aren't back yet?" Gray asked as he grabbed a drink from Mirajane.

"I assume they'll either be smart enough to realize where we've gone or believe we went on missions," Mirajane sighed.

Natsu took a swig of his drink and asked, "Can we see those Celestial keys you guys got?"

Seven Celestial keys, including the ones my group got, were placed in the center of a table. We gathered around and I arranged the keys into a circle.

I wasn't sure why Natsu wanted to see the keys, but we had something important to say to the group. On the four day trip back, we had a small conversation about whether to tell Wendy about Yene being the sky dragon or not. Natsu had convinced us that Wendy had a right to know and succeeded in making Gray and I feel guilty for even thinking otherwise. When Gajeel returned, we would tell him about Met.

"Wendy, there's something you've got to know," Natsu began. He then proceeded to tell the story of both Yene and Met. Wendy's eyes kept getting bigger and bigger until Natsu's story was finished and she threw her head into her hands. He noticeably left out the part about Igneel.

"Is she crying?" Happy whispered. None of us could be sure.

"I'm not crying, you idiot," Wendy said with her face still in her hands. "I can't believe we know Grandeeney's location. After all this time you found her without even trying. If I had been a part of your group I could have seen her."

I took a step towards Wendy, but her head shot out of her hands. A small tear rolled down her face. She continued, "Now you're telling me that she could have visited me, but her pride stood in the way. Why is she such an old prude? Why couldn't she suck up her pride and… and…"

"She's a dragon, Wendy. Don't try to force her into human emotions," Natsu soothed. He was oddly understanding. "They don't understand that it's okay to show someone who looked up to you that you aren't perfect. After we save the Court, Grandeeney will see you all the time in her normal form."

"Did you hear anything about Igneel?" Wendy asked while wiping her eyes.

"Not really," Natsu looked away from her.

"Tell her, Natsu," I commanded. It was unusually forceful and earned confused looks from everyone around me. "I know you're upset about what's happening to him. Tell everyone so they can help save him."

Everyone listened intently as Natsu explained what happened after meeting Met. Wendy pounded the table and left an imprint of her first in the wood.

"How could they do that to a living thing?" she seethed. "We have to hurry and save him. I can't stand by and let Natsu's father be hurt. What if that was Grandeeney? I'd be halfway to the Court already."

"Hey, Wendy, it's okay," Natsu grinned sincerely. His joyful mood surprised Wendy into listening to him. "Igneel is strong. When he sees me save the day, he'll know I'm strong now, too. You have to concentrate on improving so that Grandeeney sees the same thing in you when you two meet again."

"Why did you choose to be reasonable today? It's the one day I wish you weren't," Wendy cried. She then looked at me and narrowed her eyes. I took a step backwards, but Wendy didn't seem to be threatening me. "You! Lucy! How did I forget? Grandeeney would be so mad at me right now. You're as pale as a vampire. I'm going to take you to the medical hut to lie down. Why didn't you mention how bad your allergies had been on the trip?"

Wendy began dragging me away, but Laxus stopped us.

"Wait," he called. It was the first time he had spoken today. "Lucy should leave her Celestial keys here. You know, the two left on her belt. Then the keys can all be together when Master and Erza arrive."

I had forgotten about Loki and Cancer. After setting them onto the table, I realized that I didn't want to part with them. Reluctantly, I let Wendy drag me away and left the nine Celestial keys in the hands of my guild mates.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

I hadn't noticed how exhausted I was until Wendy tucked me into the medical hut's bed. Within minutes, I had passed out.

A knock at my door woke me up. Still groggy, I told the knocker to come in.

Erza and Master entered. Both were in top condition and smiling. I thought that was odd considering it must be late at night. However, one look out the window told me that I had slept well into the next day and it was now somewhere around noon.

"We're ready to have a quick meeting and then depart," Master announced. "I hope you're feeling better. If you're not, it's not too late to stay behind."

I shook my head and told them I was fine. To prove it, I threw the covers off me and stood up. That wasn't a good idea and I was temporarily hit with a dizzy spell. I wouldn't sit down though.

"Careful," Erza warned. "Gray told us how bad you looked during the trip. Wendy's got a pack of painkillers ready to go, too."

I assured Erza that I was fine and forced myself to walk at a normal pace to the guild.

The few members that were in the guild greeted us like we hadn't seen each other in forever. I wondered if the jolly greetings every day would stop once all the drama was over.

"We have to go over a few of the finer points of the plan and then we can depart," Master called to get everyone's attention. We gathered around the table with the keys. "The biggest problem we face right now is how to use the keys. Now that we have them, what do we do with them?"

"We'd have to ask Loki," Cana said.

Wendy immediately called that a bad idea. "Lucy can't summon him! The fight with the Court will involve every ounce of energy she can save up and she still will have to fight with only _ignis._"

I didn't mention that I only remembered five symbols from my Guard training. It was better to let them think I was an _ignis _master.

"We don't have time to fight over this," Erza commanded control of the room. "Is there any way for Loki to be summoned that's not through Lucy?"

"Of course there is," Loki chastised. "I can summon myself."

**Thank you to Nero Assassina for reviewing the last chapter! Your review made me giggle.**

**A/N- I want is Dragon Age 3 to come out. That is all.**


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